Definition of "peculiar"

I saw nothing peculiar in his conduct, and thought that his arrangement of the ballot box was perfect.

1800, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The Deseret Weekly, volume 41, page 379

"Wasn't it peculiar," I heard mother say, "How he wouldn't talk about himself?""Peculiar?" said father. "Well, yes, in a way.""Everything about him is peculiar." Mother sounded as if she was stirred up and interested. "I never saw a man quite like him before."

2001, Jack Schaefer, Wendell Minor, Shane

2008, Stephen Arnott, Peculiar Proverbs: Weird Words of Wisdom from Around the World

And it was peculiar in their Temper, that they were fonder of what they could get by Rapine or Stealth at a greater diſtance, than much better Food provided for them at home.

1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author’s Great Love of His Native Country. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume II, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], part IV (A Voyage to the Houyhnhnms), page 262

This philosopher found his ideas especially in all that is practical, that is, which rests upon freedom, which in its turn ranks under cognitions that are the peculiar product of reason.

1855, Meiklejohn, John Miller Dow, transl., Critique of Pure Reason, volume 1, division 2, translation of Critik der reinen Vernunft by Immanuel Kant

As soon as that operation has taken place, the food is passed down to the stomach, and there it is mixed with the chemical fluid called the gastric juice, a substance which has the peculiar property of making soluble and dissolving out the nutritious matter in the grass, and leaving behind those parts which are not nutritious;

1863, Thomas Huxley, Collected Essays

But of late years extensive Tertiary deposits of Miocene age have been discovered, showing that it is not a mere congeries of volcanoes; it [Iceland] is connected with the British Islands and with Greenland by seas less than 500 fathoms deep; and it possesses a few mammalia, one of which is peculiar, and at least three peculiar species of birds.

1895, Alfred Russel Wallace, “XX: Anomalous Islands: Celebes”, in Island Life

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

1769, King James Bible, Titus ii. 14

hymns […] that Christianity hath peculiar unto itself

1597, Richard Hooker, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie

while each peculiar power forgoes his wonted seat

1629, John Milton, On the Morning of Christ's Nativity

My fate is Juno's most peculiar care.

1697, Dryden, John, transl., Aeneid, translation of Aeneis by Virgil

If anything can legalize revenge, it should be injury from an extremely obliged person; but revenge is so absolutely the peculiar of heaven.

before 1716, Robert South, Twelve Sermons