special
Etymology
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Etymology
From Middle English *special, especial, especiall, from Old French especial (whence also French spécial), from Latin speciālis (from speciēs).
Pronunciation Adjectivespecial
- Distinguished by a unique or unusual quality.
- a special episode of a television series
- her special blend of spices
- Why are you standing up in your seat? What are you, special?
- Of particular value or interest; dear; beloved.
- Everyone is special to someone.
- his special friend of many years, Bill
- (euphemistic) Of or related to disabilities, especially learning or intellectual disabilities.
- special education, special needs
- He goes to a special school.
- (by extension, pejorative, often, offensive) Stupid, lacking intelligence.
- What do you mean, you don't understand the sign? What are you, special?
- Constituting or relating to a species.
- Synonyms: specific
- Having seven dark spots is a special property unique to Coccinella septempunctata.
Chief in excellence. - c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act IV, scene iv]:
- The king hath drawn / The special head of all the land together.
- (military) Of or related to unconventional warfare.
- special forces, special operations
- (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.
- After the Watergate break in, a special prosecutor was appointed.
- (euphemistic) Containing drugs, especially marijuana.
- (antonym(s) of “distinguished by a unique or unusual quality”): common, common-or-garden, everyday, nonspecial, ordinary, run-of-the-mill, usual
- French: spécial
- German: speziell, Spezial-, ungewöhnlich, Sonder-, besondere
- Italian: speciale, specifico
- Portuguese: especial
- Russian: осо́бый
- Spanish: especial
- French: particulier
- German: speziell, Spezial-, Sonder-, bestimmt, Lieblings-
- Italian: speciale
- Portuguese: especial
- Russian: дорого́й
- Spanish: especial
- Russian: видово́й
special (plural specials)
- A reduction in consumer cost (usually for a limited time) for items or services rendered.
- Synonyms: offer
- We're running a special on turkey for Thanksgiving.
- One of a rotation of meals systematically offered for a lower price at a restaurant.
- Today's special is our tuna melt on rye.
- (broadcasting) Unusual or exceptional episode of a series.
- Did you see the Christmas special?
- (British, colloquial) A special constable.
- 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.
- Any unlicensed medicine produced or obtained for a specific individual patient.
- (journalism) A correspondent; a journalist sent to the scene of an event to report back.
- (journalism) A dispatch sent back by a special correspondent.
- (theater) A light that illuminates a specific person or thing on the stage.
- 2009, Steven Shelley, A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting, page 132:
- In addition to followspots, there will be three frontlight specials on Autoyokes hung on the truss to provide frontlight specials.
- 2009, Jennifer Bringle, Lighting, page 23:
- The first is a special—a single lighting instrument that lights a particular spot on the stage. Specials generally have no color, or a more saturated color, allowing them to stand out through other lighting onstage.
- French: solde
- German: Sonderangebot
- Portuguese: oferta
- Russian: распрода́жа
- Spanish: oferta
- German: Sondersendung
special (specials, present participle specialing; simple past and past participle specialed)
- (nursing) To supervise a patient one-on-one.
This text is extracted from the Wiktionary and it is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license | Terms and conditions | Privacy policy 0.003
