special

See also spécial

English

Etymology

From Middle English, from Old French especial (whence also French spécial), from Latin specialis (from species, speciei). Used in English since the 13th century.

Pronunciation

• enPR: spĕʹshəl, IPA: /ˈspɛ.ʃəl/, X-SAMPA: /"spE.S@l/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛʃəl

Adjective

special (comparative more special, superlative most special)

1. Distinguished by a unique or unusual quality.

   a special episode of a television series

2. Of particular interest or value; certain; dear; beloved; favored.

   Everyone is special to someone.

3. (euphemistic, derogatory) Retarded; mentally handicapped

   He goes to a special school.

4. Constituting or relating to a species.

   The seven dark spots is a special property unique to Coccinella septempunctata.

Derived terms

Terms derived from special

special attack special constable special defense special delivery special education / special ed

special forces specialisation / specialization specialise / specialize specialist speciality, specialty

specially Special Olympics special ops

Related terms

Terms etymologically related to special

especial

especially

Translations

distinguished by a unique or unusual quality

• Arabic: خاص (ar) (khaaSS)
• Armenian: հատուկ (hy) (hatuk)
• Burmese: ထူး (my) (htu:)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 特別的 (cmn), 特别的 (cmn) (tèbié de), 專門的 (cmn), 专门的 (cmn) (zhuānmén de)

• Czech: zvláštní (cs), speciální (cs)
• Dutch: speciaal (nl)
• Esperanto: speciala (eo)
• Estonian: eri- (et)
• Finnish: erikoinen (fi), omalaatuinen (fi), erikois- (fi)
• French: spécial (fr)
• German: speziell (de), Spezial- (de), ungewöhnlich (de), Sonder- (de), besondere (de)
• Hindi: ख़ास (hi) (xās), विशेष (hi) (viśeṣ)
• Hungarian: különleges (hu), speciális (hu)
• Ido: specala (io)
• Irish: speisialta (ga)
• Italian: speciale (it)

• Japanese: 特別な (ja) (とくべつな, tokubetsu-na)
• Korean: 특별한 (ko) (teukbyeor-han)
• Latgalian: sovins
• Latvian: īpašs (lv)
• Lithuanian: ypatingas (lt), nepaprastas (lt)
• Malay: istimewa (ms), khas (ms)
• Maori: motuhake (mi)
• Navajo: spéshelígíí
• Norwegian: spesiell (no)
• Persian: ویژه (fa) (viža), خاص (fa) (xâs)
• Polish: specjalny (pl) m, wyjątkowy (pl) m
• Portuguese: especial (pt)
• Russian: особый (ru) (osóbyj) m, особенный (ru) (osóbennyj) m, специальный (ru) (speciál’nyj) m
• Scottish Gaelic: sònraichte (gd), àraidh (gd), air leth (gd)
• Spanish: especial (es)
• Swedish: speciell (sv)
• Urdu: خاص (ur) (xās)
• Welsh: arbennig (cy)

of particular interest or value; certain; dear; beloved; favored

• Armenian: հատուկ (hy) (hatuk)
• Czech: jedinečný (cs)
• Dutch: speciaal (nl)
• Esperanto: speciala (eo)
• Estonian: eriline (et)
• Finnish: pidetty (fi), erityinen (fi), tietty (fi)
• French: particulier (fr)
• German: speziell (de), Spezial- (de), Sonder- (de), bestimmt (de), Lieblings- (de)
• Hungarian: különleges (hu)

• Ido: specala (io)
• Italian: speciale (it)
• Malay: istimewa (ms)
• Norwegian: spesiell (no)
• Polish: wyjątkowy (pl) m
• Portuguese: especial (pt)
• Russian: особый (ru) (osóbyj), особенный (ru) (osóbennyj)
• Scottish Gaelic: sònraichte (gd), àraidh (gd)
• Spanish: especial (es)
• Swedish: speciell (sv)

(offensive slang): retarded; handicapped

• Hungarian: kisegítő (hu), speciális (hu)

• Persian: استثنایی (fa) (estesnaei)

constituting or relating to a species

• Czech: zvláštní (cs), druhový (cs)
• Finnish: lajityypillinen (fi)

• Hungarian: jellegzetes (hu), jellemző (hu)
• Russian: видовой (ru) (vidovój)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

• French: proche (fr)
• Hebrew: מיוחד (he) (me-yukhad)
• Ido: partikulara (io)
• Korean: 특별한 (ko) (teukbyeolhan)

• Tagalog: espesyal (tl), natatangi (tl), pantangias in special presentation= natatanging pagtatanghal, special advertisement= natatanging patalastas
• Telugu: ప్రత్యేక (te) (pratyaeka)
• Turkish: özel (tr)
• Volapük: patik (vo)

Noun

special (plural specials)

1. A reduction in consumer cost (usually for a limited time) for items or services rendered.

   We're running a special on turkey for Thanksgiving.

2. (broadcasting) Unusual or exceptional episode of a series
3. (UK, colloquial) A special constable.
4. Anything that is not according to normal practice, plan, or schedule, as an unscheduled run of transportation that is normally scheduled.

   Thousands came to the special that carried the President's coffin.

5. (video games) special move
   • 1995, "Tony Pordon", Tekken Review [PSX] (on newsgroup rec.games.video.misc)

     Using the right moves, you can sometimes chain 2 specials in a row to form multiple hit combos.

Translations

A reduction in consumer cost (usually for a limited time) for items or services rendered

• Czech: sleva (cs)
• Finnish: erikoistarjous

• Georgian: please add this translation if you can
• German: Sonderangebot (de)

(tv, radio) Unsual or exceptional episode of a series

• Finnish: erikoisjakso, erikoislähetys
• German: Sondersendung

• Hungarian: különkiadás (hu)

Statistics

• Most common English words before 1923: James · Greek · island · #934: special · memory · proved · plan

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