A peculiar bunch
Meaning
This phrase describes a group of people who are notably strange, unusual, or eccentric.
Origin
The word "peculiar" has a rich history, tracing back to the Latin peculium, which denoted private property or personal savings. Over centuries, its meaning evolved in English from something distinctively one's own, to something unusual or particular, and finally to its modern sense of strange or odd. "Bunch," meanwhile, is a more straightforward term, simply meaning a cluster or collection, often used informally for groups of people. When combined, "a peculiar bunch" paints a vivid picture: a collection of individuals, each possessing their own unique brand of oddity, who collectively stand out as wonderfully non-conformist. It's a phrase that celebrates, or perhaps mildly laments, those who refuse to fit neatly into any mold.
Examples
- The new art collective in town quickly gained a reputation for being a peculiar bunch, always wearing mismatched clothes and discussing obscure philosophies.
- Despite their quirks, the engineers in the research department were a peculiar bunch, but their unconventional thinking often led to groundbreaking innovations.