exceptional

American  

[ik-sep-shuh-nl] / ɪkˈsɛp ʃə nl /

adjective

1. forming an exception or rare instance; unusual; extraordinary.

   The warm weather was exceptional for January.

   Synonyms:

   anomalous, aberrant, unnatural, strange, singular, uncommon

2. unusually excellent; superior.

   an exceptional violinist.

   Antonyms:

   ordinary, average

3. Education. (of a child)

   1. being intellectually gifted.

   2. being physically or especially mentally disabled to an extent that special schooling is required.

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exceptional British  

/ ɪkˈsɛpʃənəl /

adjective

1. forming an exception; not ordinary

2. having much more than average intelligence, ability, or skill

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Related Words

See irregular.

Other Word Forms

• exceptionality noun
• exceptionally adverb
• exceptionalness noun
• nonexceptional adjective
• preexceptional adjective
• quasi-exceptional adjective
• superexceptional adjective

Etymology

Origin of exceptional

First recorded in 1840–50; exception + -al ¹

Example Sentences

With improved precision, phonon lasers could become powerful tools for measuring gravity and other forces with exceptional accuracy.

From Science Daily

The impact of the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz has already led governments to take exceptional measures, like the Philippines which has declared a national energy emergency, Maynier noted.

From Barron's

“Whilst we appreciate the criminals’ exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of all sizes,” the company said.

From The Wall Street Journal

We may not be living as exceptional a future as the Jetsons, but we’ve still got 3½ decades to catch up.

From The Wall Street Journal

This tule fog upended that trend, thanks to the exceptional fall weather conditions.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• extraordinary
• notable
• noteworthy
• odd
• phenomenal
• rare
• remarkable
• singular
• special
• strange
• uncommon
• unheard-of
• unique
• unprecedented
• unusual