English

special

/ˈspɛʃ.əl/

Distinguished by a unique, particular, or unusual quality.

Etymology graph

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Origin

From Middle English *special, especial, especiall, from Old French especial (whence also French spécial), from Latin speciālis (from speciēs). In this sense displaced native Old English synderlīċ. Doublet of especial.

From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Lineage

rootProto-Indo-European*speḱ- “to look”
inheritedMiddle Englishespecial
- derivedOld Frenchespecial
  - derivedLatinspecialis

Related: English especial (doublet), French spécial

Meanings

adj

Distinguished by a unique, particular, or unusual quality.
Of particular value or interest; dear; beloved.
Of or related to unconventional warfare.
Appointed specifically to examine a single event or issue.
Constituting or relating to a species.
Of or related to disabilities, especially learning or intellectual disabilities.

noun

A reduction in consumer cost (usually for a limited time) for items or services rendered; the thing thus sold.
A meal offered only at a certain time by a restaurant, not as a standing fixture of the menu; often, one of a rotation of meals systematically offered for a lower price; also often a dish at a nondiscounted price that is seasonal or otherwise exciting or unusual.
Unusual or exceptional episode of a series.
A special constable.
Anything that is not according to normal practice, plan, or schedule, as an unscheduled run of transportation that is normally scheduled.
Any unlicensed medicine produced or obtained for a specific individual patient.

verb

To supervise a patient one-on-one.

Sources

Wiktionary (via Wiktextract / kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
Wiktionary: special