special
/ˈspɛʃ.əl/ adjective, noun, verb
Forms specialer specialest specials specialing specialling specialed specialled
- adjective Distinguished by a unique, particular, or unusual quality. “a special episode of a television series”
- adjective Of particular value or interest; dear; beloved. “Everyone is special to someone.”
- adjective (military) Of or related to unconventional warfare. “special forces, special operations”
- adjective (law) Appointed specifically to examine a single event or issue. “For the few times the U.S. Supreme Court has to actually try a case, they will appoint a special master to do so.”
- adjective Constituting or relating to a species. “Having seven dark spots is a special property unique to Coccinella septempunctata.”
- adjective (euphemistic, not comparable) Of or related to disabilities, especially learning or intellectual disabilities. “special education, special needs”
- adjective (by extension, derogatory, often offensive, comparable) Stupid, lacking intelligence. “What do you mean, you don't understand the sign? What are you, special?”
- adjective Of, being, or pertaining to sexual intercourse or the genitals. “The parents told the kids not to bother them during special time.”
- noun A reduction in consumer cost (usually for a limited time) for items or services rendered; the thing thus sold. “We're running a special on turkey for Thanksgiving.”
- noun 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. “Today's dinner special is wild salmon, which we don't normally get a chance to offer.”
- noun (broadcasting) Unusual or exceptional episode of a series. “Did you see the Christmas special?”
- noun (UK, colloquial) A special constable.
- noun Anything that is not according to normal practice, plan, or schedule, as an unscheduled run of transportation that is normally scheduled. “Thousands came to see the special that carried the President's coffin.”
- noun Any unlicensed medicine produced or obtained for a specific individual patient.
- noun (pinball) An award, typically a free game, that is made available to the player upon reaching or completing a major objective in a pinball game.
- noun (journalism) A journalist sent to the scene of an event to report back.
- verb (nursing) To supervise a patient one-on-one.
Synonyms
specific offer particular peculiar especial exceptional limited extra
Antonyms
common common-or-garden everyday general nonspecial ordinary run-of-the-mill usual
Etymology
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.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Of or pertaining to a species; constituting a species or sort.
- adjective Particular; peculiar; different from others; extraordinary; uncommon.
- noun A particular. [Obs.] Hammond.
- noun One appointed for a special service or occasion. In special, specially; in particular. Chaucer.
Etymology [L. specialis, fr. species a particular sort, kind, or quality: cf. F. spécial. See Species, and cf. Especial.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “special”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details