special

[ spesh-uhl ]

/ ˈspɛʃ əl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR special ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of a distinct or particular kind or character: a special kind of key.

being a particular one; particular, individual, or certain: You'd better call the special number.

pertaining or peculiar to a particular person, thing, instance, etc.; distinctive; unique: the special features of a plan.

having a specific or particular function, purpose, etc.: a special messenger.

distinguished or different from what is ordinary or usual: a special occasion; to fix something special.

extraordinary; exceptional, as in amount or degree; especial: special importance.

being such in an exceptional degree; particularly valued: a special friend.

pertaining to people with singular needs or disabilities, or to their education: disabled students with special needs; state funding for special schools.

noun

a special person or thing.

a train used for a particular purpose, occasion, or the like.

a special edition of a newspaper.

Theater. a spotlight reserved for a particular area, property, actor, etc.: Give me the coffin special.

a temporary, arbitrary reduction in the price of regularly stocked goods, especially food; a particularly worthwhile offer or price: The special this week is on sirloin steaks.

Television. a single program not forming part of a regular series.

Nearby words

spearwort, spec, spec sheet, spec., speccy, special, special act, special agent, special air service, special anatomy, special area

Origin of special

1175–1225; Middle English (adj.) < Latin speciālis of a given species, equivalent to speci(ēs) species + -ālis -al¹; see especial

SYNONYMS FOR special

5 singular.

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ANTONYMS FOR special

1 general.

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Related forms

spe·cial·ly, adverbin·ter·spe·cial, adjectivenon·spe·cial, adjective, nounnon·spe·cial·ly, adverb

su·per·spe·cial, adjective, noun

Can be confusedespecially specially (see synonym study at especially) (see usage note at the current entry)specially specialty

Synonym study

5. Special, particular, specific refer to something pointed out for attention and consideration. Special means given unusual treatment because of being uncommon: a special sense of a word. Particular implies something selected from the others of its kind and set off from them for attention: a particular variety of orchid. Specific implies plain and unambiguous indication of a particular instance, example, etc.: a specific instance of cowardice.

Usage note

In American English the adjective special is overwhelmingly more common than especial in all senses: He will be of special help if you can't understand the documentation. The reverse is true of the adverbs; here especially is by far the more common: He will be of great help, especially if you have trouble understanding the documentation. Only when the sense “specifically” is intended is specially more idiomatic: The machine was specially designed for use by a left-handed operator.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for specially

On December 10, the Specially Designated Secrets Law will go into effect.
‘Whip it!’ Japanese Prime Minister Abe’s Cabinet Of Horrors|Jake Adelstein|October 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They served in the volunteer Donbass Battalion, one of three specially organized National Guard battalions.
Bitter Survivors and Caravans of Coffins from Ukraine’s “Eastern Boiler”|Anna Nemtsova|September 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Rivers was reportedly having her hair and make-up done, the room had been specially decorated, and her two dogs had visited her.
Joan Rivers: 'Death Is Like Plastic Surgery'|Tim Teeman|September 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The elite troops are specially trained Swiss soldiers between the age of 19 and 30.
Vatican’s Pope-Protecting Swiss Guards Accused Of Secret Gay Lobby|Barbie Latza Nadeau|January 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST

For example, Clapper said only specially trained personnel could access the vast database of metadata collected by the government.
Phone Records Shared With U.K.|Eli Lake|June 7, 2013|DAILY BEAST
This sponge is specially employed for the toilet, and its price is high.
The Ocean World:|Louis Figuier
Are specially promising youths to be set apart from early childhood to prepare themselves for these positions of authority?
The Behavior of Crowds|Everett Dean Martin
It looks like you, too, somehow, as if it had been specially made for you.
Why Joan?|Eleanor Mercein Kelly
"Bar," said the Serbian stove-tender very quietly, picking up a specially curved one, and McLanahan took the other end.
Steel|Charles Rumford Walker
It was not specially interesting, though the sea was in sight from one of the windows.
Deephaven and Selected Stories & Sketches|Sarah Orne Jewett

British Dictionary definitions for specially

special

/ (ˈspɛʃəl) /

adjective

distinguished, set apart from, or excelling others of its kind

(prenominal) designed or reserved for a particular purposea special tool for working leather

not usual or commonplace

(prenominal) particular or primaryhis special interest was music

denoting or relating to the education of physically or mentally handicapped childrena special school

noun

a special person or thing, such as an extra edition of a newspaper or a train reserved for a particular purpose

a dish or meal given prominence, esp at a low price, in a café, etc

Australian history slang a convict given special treatment on account of his education, social class, etc

short for special constable

Australian, NZ, US and Canadian informal an item in a store that is advertised at a reduced price; a loss leader

verb -cials, -cialling or -cialled (tr)

NZ informal to advertise and sell (an item) at a reduced pricewe are specialling butter this week

Derived Formsspecially, adverbspecialness, noun

Word Origin for special

C13: from Old French especial, from Latin speciālis individual, special, from speciēs appearance, species

xref

See especial

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for specially

special

adj.

early 13c., "better than ordinary," from Old French especial, from Latin specialis "individual, particular," from species "appearance, kind, sort" (see species). Meaning "marked off from others by some distinguishing quality" is recorded from c.1300. In Middle English, also as a noun meaning "sweetheart, lover." Meaning "special train" is attested from 1866. Special effects first attested 1951. Special interests in U.S. political sense is from 1910. Special pleading first recorded 1680s.

special

adjective

noun

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Nearby words

Origin of special

Synonym study

Usage note

Examples from the Web for specially

British Dictionary definitions for specially

special

adjective

noun

verb -cials, -cialling or -cialled (tr)

Word Origin for special

xref

Word Origin and History for specially

special