special
Part of speech: adj
noun
verb
Morphological type: simple
Topics: broadcasting
entertainment
government
journalism
law
lifestyle
media
military
politics
theater
war
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.
Inflected forms:
form: more special
pos: adj
tags: comparative
form: specialer
pos: adj
tags: comparative
form: most special
pos: adj
tags: superlative
form: specialest
pos: adj
tags: superlative
form: specials
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: specials
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: specialing
pos: verb
tags: US
participle
present
form: specialling
pos: verb
tags: UK
participle
present
form: specialed
pos: verb
tags: US
participle
past
form: specialed
pos: verb
tags: US
past
form: specialled
pos: verb
tags: UK
participle
past
form: specialled
pos: verb
tags: UK
past
Senses:
gloss: Distinguished by a unique, particular, or unusual quality.
pos: adj
examples: a special episode of a television series
her special blend of spices
EVERY CHILD IS SPECIAL
An empty and meaningless sentiment. What about every adult? Isn't every adult special? And if not, then at what age does a person go from being special to being not-so-special? And if every adult is also special, then that means all people are special and the idea has no meaning.
gloss: Of particular value or interest; dear; beloved.
pos: adj
examples: Everyone is special to someone.
his special friend of many years, Bill
gloss: Of or related to unconventional warfare.
pos: adj
examples: special forces, special operations
gloss: Appointed specifically to examine a single event or issue.
pos: adj
examples: 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.
gloss: Constituting or relating to a species.
pos: adj
examples: Having seven dark spots is a special property unique to Coccinella septempunctata.
gloss: Of or related to disabilities, especially learning or intellectual disabilities.
pos: adj
tags: euphemistic
not-comparable
examples: special education, special needs
He goes to a special school.
gloss: Of or related to disabilities, especially learning or intellectual disabilities.
pos: adj
tags: broadly
comparable
derogatory
euphemistic
not-comparable
offensive
often
examples: What do you mean, you don't understand the sign? What are you, special?
gloss: Of, being, or pertaining to sexual intercourse or the genitals.
pos: adj
tags: euphemistic
not-comparable
examples: The parents told the kids not to bother them during special time.
The girl said the man had tried to touch her special place.
gloss: Infused with a drug, especially marijuana; being an edible.
pos: adj
tags: euphemistic
not-comparable
examples: This book will help you to […] • Cook with the confidence that the neighbors won't find out your brownies are 'special' • Never again worry about getting caught growing because someone smelled your garden
Then with the rest of the money I use it to pay for the building, maintenance, utilities, up keep, and the special brownies! In addition, I have bongs that the parishioners can use if they forget to bring their own bongs for smoking.
“Jen, when someone offers you 'special' brownies or 'funny' brownies, they have pot in them. You're totally high right now.” Me, high? No way! No one ever offered the nerdy girl drugs. And I'd never, ever accept them.
“They're special brownies,” said Rosie. Special brownies! Of course they were special! They were perfect and delicious! What a great word to describe them! Rosie caught on that Lulu had not caught on. “Special brownies. Happy brownies. […] They're the ones that have weed in them.”
gloss: A reduction in consumer cost (usually for a limited time) for items or services rendered; the thing thus sold.
pos: noun
examples: We're running a special on turkey for Thanksgiving.
I didn't have much money, so I bought the special.
gloss: 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.
pos: noun
examples: Today's dinner special is wild salmon, which we don't normally get a chance to offer.
The Tuesday lunch special is our tuna melt on rye.
gloss: Unusual or exceptional episode of a series.
pos: noun
examples: Did you see the Christmas special?
gloss: A special constable.
pos: noun
tags: UK
colloquial
examples: And you can't trust a "Special" like the old-time copper when you can't find your way home.
gloss: Anything that is not according to normal practice, plan, or schedule, as an unscheduled run of transportation that is normally scheduled.
pos: noun
examples: Thousands came to see the special that carried the President's coffin.
gloss: Any unlicensed medicine produced or obtained for a specific individual patient.
pos: noun
gloss: An award, typically a free game, that is made available to the player upon reaching or completing a major objective in a pinball game.
pos: noun
gloss: A journalist sent to the scene of an event to report back.
pos: noun
gloss: A dispatch sent back by a special correspondent.
pos: noun
gloss: A light that illuminates a specific person or thing on the stage.
pos: noun
examples: In addition to followspots, there will be three frontlight specials on Autoyokes hung on the truss to provide frontlight specials.
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.
gloss: One of certain mixed-breed dogs.
pos: noun
examples: Singapore Special;  Darwin special
gloss: A racehorse predicted to win; a sure thing.
pos: noun
examples: "How's your horse going to go Fatty?" My replies included, "It's a special." "Get on. It can't be beaten."
gloss: To supervise a patient one-on-one.
pos: verb
examples: We have not sent our pupils out on private duty except a very few times, but they have an unusual amount of specialing to do inside.
Participant three described their personal interest in mental health care: “I have an interest in mental health but I have found that other staff on the surgical ward who have been there for a while… often say I hate specialling these patients…”
Antonyms: common
common-or-garden
everyday
general
nonspecial
ordinary
run-of-the-mill
usual
Related words: especial
especially
Derived words: antispecial
genderspecial
hyperspecial
in special
interspecial
manager's special
nothing special
on special
special administrative region
special agent
special area
special-case
special case
special character
special constable
special counsel
special court-martial
special creation
special damages
special defence
special defense
special delivery
special drawing right
special economic zone
special ed
special education
special education advocate
special educator
special effect
special election
special event
special forces
special fried rice
special friend
special function
special grace
special handling unit
special interest
special interest group
specialisation
specialise
specialism
special issue
specialist
speciality
special lassi
special licence
special linear group
specially
special master
special measures
special military operation
special move
special name
specialness
specialogue
Special Olympics
special omelette
special operation
special operations
special ops
special order sale
special pleader
special pleading
special police
special proceeding
special prosecutor
special-purpose entity
special-purpose vehicle
special rapporteur
special relationship
special relativity
special resolution
special retainer
special revelation
special rights
special saloon
special sauce
special school
special service request
special service requirement
special session
special situation
special snowflake
special snowflake syndrome
special someone
special stage
special team
special teamer
special treatment
specialty
special unitary group
special verdict
special victims unit
special ward
special warranty deed
suicide special
superspecial
toasted special
unspecial
very special episode
after-school special
after school special
blue-light special
blue plate special
blue-plate special
businessman's special
early bird special
handyman special
handyman's special
Hemingway special
ladies' special
landlord special
pavement special
police special
Saturday night special
Saturday-night special
Translations:
lang: Hebrew
word: מיוחד \ מְיֻחָד
roman: m'yukhád
lang: Hungarian
word: kisegítő
lang: Hungarian
word: speciális
lang: Persian
word: استثنایی
roman: estesnâyi
lang: Swedish
word: speciell