Particularising

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To define or clarify specific traits or features of a subject
2. To focus on unique aspects or elements that set something apart
3. To emphasize or identify unique features that distinguish something from others

Etymology: "Particularising" is the present participle and gerund of "particularise," a verb meaning to single out the distinctive features of something rather than treating it as one instance of a general category. The verb is built from "particular," which comes ultimately from Latin "particularis," meaning "belonging to a part," itself formed from "pars," "part." So at its root the word is about separating a whole into its parts and attending to one of them. The English verb "particularise" is formed by adding the suffix "-ise" to "particular," the same pattern that produces verbs such as "familiarise" from "familiar." The "-ing" ending then turns the verb into a participle or gerund, so "particularising" can describe an ongoing act of identifying distinctive detail or name the act itself.

Synonyms: specifying, detailing

Antonyms: generalizing