different between notion vs peculiarity

English

Etymology

From Latin n?ti? (“a becoming acquainted, a taking cognizance, an examination, an investigation, a conception, idea, notion”), from n?scere (“to know”). Compare French notion. See know.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?n????n/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?no???n/
• Rhymes: -????n

Noun

notion (plural notions)

1. Mental apprehension of whatever may be known, thought, or imagined; idea, concept.

   • What hath been generally agreed on, I content myself to assume under the notion of principles.

   • 1705-1715', George Cheyne, The Philosophical Principles of Religion Natural and Revealed

     there are few that agree in their Notions about them:.

   • 1725, Isaac Watts, Logick, or The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry After Truth With a Variety of Rules to Guard

     That notion of hunger, cold, sound, color, thought, wish, or fear which is in the mind, is called the "idea" of hunger, cold, etc.

   • Notion, again, signifies either the act of apprehending, signalizing, that is, the remarking or taking note of, the various notes, marks, or characters of an object which its qualities afford, or the result of that act.

2. A sentiment; an opinion.
   • December 2, 1832, John Henry Newman, Wilfulness, the Sin of Saul

     A perverse will easily collects together a system of notions to justify itself in its obliquity.
3. (obsolete) Sense; mind.
4. (colloquial) An invention; an ingenious device; a knickknack.

5. Any small article used in sewing and haberdashery, either for attachment to garments or as a tool, such as a button, zipper, or thimble.
6. (colloquial) Inclination; intention; disposition.

Translations

See also

• concept
• conception
• meaning

Further reading

• notion in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• notion in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• notion on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin n?ti?, n?ti?nem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /n?.sj??/

Noun

notion f (plural notions)

1. notion

Further reading

• “notion” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

English

Etymology

peculiar +? -ity

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /p??kjuli????ti/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /p??kju?li?æ??ti/
• Rhymes: -æ??ti
• Hyphenation: pe?cu?li?ar?i?ty

Noun

peculiarity (countable and uncountable, plural peculiarities)

1. The quality or state of being peculiar; individuality; singularity.

   The peculiarity of meeting six people on a usually deserted trail only struck me later on.

2. That which is peculiar; a special and distinctive characteristic or habit; particularity.
   • 1853, Charlotte Brontë, Villette, Chapter 4:

     I had often heard of Miss Marchmont, and of her peculiarities (she had the character of being very eccentric), but till now had never seen her.

   • 1870, Louisa May Alcott, quoted in 2011, Daniel Shealy, Little Women Abroad: The Alcott Sisters' Letters from Europe, 1870-1871

     I thought Alice and H. J. P. would have fainted at the full spectacle; but we are fast getting used to the little peculiarities of foreigners and I trust they will forgive us many sins in return.

   • 1873, Specifications and Drawings of Patents Issued from the U.S. Patent Office

     The peculiarity of this invention consists in a means for varying the angle at which the plaiting-blade is held in the plaiter without varying the position of the entire instrument upon the sewing-machine.

3. Exclusive possession or right.

Translations