Particularness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality of being distinct, specific, or detailed in nature
2. A state characterized by exactness or a clear focus on individual features
3. An attribute indicating uniqueness or careful attention to detail

Etymology: "Particularness" is a plain formation: the adjective "particular" with the suffix "-ness", which turns an adjective into a noun for a state or quality. "Particular" itself comes from Latin "particularis", meaning belonging to a part or a single item, built from "particula", a little part. So the core idea is a quality of attending to separate parts rather than the whole. The suffix "-ness" is native English, descended from Old English "-nes(s)", and it has been attached freely to adjectives for centuries. Because of that, "particularness" can be formed on the spot wherever someone wants a noun for the quality described by "particular", which is why it reads as a fresh coinage rather than a long-established term.

Synonyms: specificity, uniqueness

Antonyms: generality, vagueness