special
[spesh-uhl]
- 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.
Show More
- 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.
Show More
Origin of special
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com5. singular.
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.
Antonyms
1. general.
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. 2018
Examples from the Web for specially
Contemporary Examples
On December 10, the Specially Designated Secrets Law will go into effect.
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
Rivers was reportedly having her hair and make-up done, the room had been specially decorated, and her two dogs had visited her.
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 LobbyBarbie Latza Nadeau
January 24, 2014
For example, Clapper said only specially trained personnel could access the vast database of metadata collected by the government.
Historical Examples
What he specially disliked was that his master was a foreigner.
The Armourer's PrenticesCharlotte M. Yonge
It was Aldonza, however, who specially touched her feelings.
The Armourer's PrenticesCharlotte M. Yonge
The unhappy woman, to whom I had specially come, was smitten indeed.
To ascribe them specially to God would seem to us far-fetched.
The Conquest of FearBasil King
No one department of human effort is specially His, or is His special expression.
The Conquest of FearBasil King
special
- 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
Show More
- 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
Show More
- NZ informal to advertise and sell (an item) at a reduced pricewe are specialling butter this week
Show More
Word Origin
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.
Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper