special

See also: spécial

English

Etymology

From Middle English *special, especial, especiall, from Old French especial (whence also French spécial), from Latin specialis (from species). Displaced native Old English synderlīċ.

Pronunciation

• enPR: spĕʹshəl, IPA^(key): /ˈspɛʃ.əl/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛʃəl

Adjective

special (comparative more special or specialer, superlative most special or specialest)

1. Distinguished by a unique or unusual quality.

   a special episode of a television series

   • 2004, George Carlin, “PLEASE DON'T SAY THAT”, in When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?‎^[1], New York: Hyperion Books, →ISBN, →OCLC, →OL, page 132:

     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.

2. Of particular personal interest or value; dear; beloved.

   Everyone is special to someone.

3. (euphemistic) Of or related to disabilities, especially learning or intellectual disabilities.

   special education, special needs

   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.

5. 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.

6. (military) Of or related to unconventional warfare.

   special forces, special operations

Antonyms

• (distinguished by a unique or unusual quality): common, non-special, ordinary, usual

Derived terms

• specialisation (specialization)
• specialise (specialize)
• specialist
• speciality
• specially
• specialness
• specialty

 

Related terms

• especial
• especially
• special attack
• special constable
• special defense
• special delivery
• special ed
• special education
• special forces
• Special Olympics
• special ops
• special saloon

 

Translations

distinguished by a unique or unusual quality

• Albanian: i veçantë (sq)
• Arabic: خَاصّ (ḵāṣṣ), خُصُوصِيّ (ḵuṣūṣiyy)

  Moroccan Arabic: خاص (ḵaṣṣ)

• Armenian: հատուկ (hy) (hatuk)
• Azerbaijani: xüsusi (az), əlahiddə, xas, məxsus (az)
• Belarusian: асаблі́вы (be) (asablívy), спецыя́льны (spjecyjálʹny), вынятко́вы (vynjatkóvy)
• Bengali: বিশেষ (biśeś)
• Bulgarian: осо́бен (bg) (osóben), специа́лен (bg) (speciálen)
• Burmese: ထူး (my) (htu:)
• Catalan: especial (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 特別的／特别的 (zh), 特别的 (zh) (tèbié de), 特殊的 (zh) (tèshū de), 專門的／专门的 (zh), 专门的 (zh) (zhuānmén de)

• Czech: zvláštní (cs), speciální (cs)
• Danish: speciel
• Dutch: speciaal (nl)
• Esperanto: speciala (eo)
• Estonian: eri-
• Finnish: erikoinen (fi), omalaatuinen (fi), erikois-
• French: spécial (fr)
• Georgian: განსაკუთრებული (gansaḳutrebuli), სპეციალური (sṗecialuri), საგანგებო (sagangebo)
• German: speziell (de), Spezial-, ungewöhnlich (de), Sonder- (de), besondere (de)
• Greek: έκτακτος (el) m (éktaktos)
• Hebrew: מיוחד \ מְיֻחָד (he) m (m'yukhád), ייחודי m (yikhudí)
• Hindi: ख़ास (xās), विशेष (hi) (viśeṣ)
• Hungarian: különleges (hu), speciális (hu), rendkívüli (hu), alkalmi (hu), külön- (hu), szakmai (hu), szak-
• Icelandic: sérstakur (is)
• Ido: specala (io)
• Indonesian: khusus (id), istimewa (id), khas (id)
• Irish: speisialta (ga), ar leith
• Italian: speciale (it), specifico (it)
• Japanese: 特別な (ja) (とくべつな, tokubetsu na), 特殊な (ja) (とくしゅな, tokushu na)
• Kazakh: арнайы (arnaiy), арнаулы (arnauly)
• Khmer: ពិសេស (km) (pisaeh)
• Korean: 특별하다 (ko) (teukbyeolhada), 특수하다 (ko) (teuksuhada)
• Kurdish:

  Northern Kurdish: taybet (ku)

• Kyrgyz: атайын (ky) (atayın)
• Lao: ພິເສດ (phi sēt)
• Latgalian: sovins
• Latin: eximius, praecipuus
• Latvian: īpašs
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Lithuanian: ypatingas, nepaprastas
• Macedonian: посебен (poseben)
• Malay: istimewa, khas, khusus
• Maori: motuhake
• Mongolian:

  Cyrillic: онцгой (mn) (oncgoj), тусгай (mn) (tusgaj)

• Navajo: spéshelígíí
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: spesiell (no), spesial

  Nynorsk: spesiell, spesial

• Occitan: especial (oc) m
• Old English: synderlīċ
• Pashto: مخصوص (maxsús), خاص (ps) (xās), خصوصي (ps) (xosusí)
• Persian: ویژه (fa) (viže), خاص (fa) (xâs), مخصوص (fa) (maxsus)
• Plautdietsch: besonda
• Polish: specjalny (pl), wyjątkowy (pl), osobliwy (pl)
• Portuguese: especial (pt)
• Romanian: special (ro)
• Russian: осо́бый (ru) m (osóbyj), осо́бенный (ru) m (osóbennyj), специа́льный (ru) m (speciálʹnyj)
• Scottish Gaelic: sònraichte, àraidh, air leth
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: по́себан, спе̏ција̄лан

  Roman: póseban (sh), spȅcijālan (sh)

• Slovak: špeciálny, zvláštny
• Slovene: poseben m
• Sorbian:

  Lower Sorbian: wósebny

• Spanish: especial (es)
• Swahili: maalum (sw)
• Swedish: speciell (sv), särskild (sv)
• Tajik: вижа (tg) (viža), хос (tg) (xos), махсус (tg) (maxsus), алоҳида (alohida)
• Tatar: махсус (maxsus)
• Thai: พิเศษ (th) (pí-sèet)
• Turkish: özel (tr), has (tr)
• Turkmen: aýratyn (tk)
• Ukrainian: особли́вий (osoblývyj), спеціа́льний (uk) (speciálʹnyj), ви́їмковий (výjimkovyj)
• Urdu: خاص (xās), مخصوص (maxsūs)
• Uyghur: ئالاھىدە (alahide), خاس (xas)
• Uzbek: maxsus (uz), alohida (uz), xos (uz)
• Vietnamese: đặc biệt (vi) (特別)
• Welsh: arbennig (cy)
• Yiddish: ספּעציעל (spetsyel)

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

• Armenian: հատուկ (hy) (hatuk)
• Catalan: especial (ca)
• Czech: jedinečný (cs)
• Dutch: speciaal (nl)
• Esperanto: speciala (eo)
• Estonian: eriline (et)
• Finnish: pidetty (fi), erityinen (fi), tietty (fi)
• French: particulier (fr)
• Georgian: განსაკუთრებული (gansaḳutrebuli), გამორჩეული (gamorčeuli)
• German: speziell (de), Spezial-, Sonder- (de), bestimmt (de), Lieblings- (de)
• Greek: ειδικός (el) m (eidikós), ιδιαίτερος (el) m (idiaíteros)
• Hebrew: מיוחד \ מְיֻחָד (he) m (m'yukhád)
• Hungarian: különleges (hu)
• Ido: specala (io)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Indonesian: spesial (id)
• Italian: speciale (it)
• Latin: eximius
• Malay: istimewa
• Norwegian: spesiell (no)
• Old English: synderlīċ
• Polish: wyjątkowy (pl)
• Portuguese: especial (pt)
• Russian: дорого́й (ru) (dorogój), люби́мый (ru) (ljubímyj)
• Scottish Gaelic: sònraichte, àraidh
• Spanish: especial (es)
• Swedish: speciell (sv)
• Turkish: özel (tr)

(offensive slang): retarded; handicapped

• Hebrew: מיוחד \ מְיֻחָד (he) m (m'yukhád)
• Hungarian: kisegítő (hu), speciális (hu)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Persian: استثنایی (fa) (estesnâyi)
• Swedish: speciell (sv)

constituting or relating to a species

• Czech: zvláštní (cs), druhový
• Finnish: lajityypillinen (fi)
• Greek: ειδικός (el) m (eidikós)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Hungarian: jellegzetes (hu), jellemző (hu)
• Russian: видово́й (ru) (vidovój)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• French: ^{(please verify)} proche (fr)
• Georgian: ^{(please verify)} განსაკუთრებული (gansaḳutrebuli), ^{(please verify)} საგანგებო (sagangebo), ^{(please verify)} სპეციალური (sṗecialuri)
• Ido: ^{(please verify)} partikulara (io)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Tagalog: ^{(please verify)} espesyal (tl), ^{(please verify)} natatangi (tl), ^{(please verify)} pantangi
• Telugu: ^{(please verify)} ప్రత్యేక (te) (pratyēka)
• Turkish: ^{(please verify)} özel (tr)
• Volapük: ^{(please verify)} 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. One of a rotation of meals systematically offered for a lower price at a restaurant.

   Today's special is our tuna melt on rye.

3. (broadcasting) Unusual or exceptional episode of a series.

   Did you see the Christmas special?

4. (British, colloquial) A special constable.
5. 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.

6. Any unlicensed medicine produced or obtained for a specific individual patient.
7. (journalism) A correspondent; a journalist sent to the scene of an event to report back.
8. (journalism) A dispatch sent back by a special correspondent.
9. (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.

10. (law) A person 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 soecial master to do so.

    After the Watergate break in, a special prosecutor was applointed.

Translations

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

• Armenian: please add this translation if you can
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 促銷／促销 (zh) (cùxiāo), 促销 (zh) (cùxiāo), 特惠 (zh) (tèhuì)

• Czech: sleva (cs)
• Dutch: aanbieding (nl) f
• Esperanto: please add this translation if you can
• Finnish: erikoistarjous (fi)
• French: solde (fr)
• Georgian: please add this translation if you can
• German: Sonderangebot (de)
• Greek: προσφορά (el) f (prosforá)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Hebrew: מבצע (he) m (mivtsá)
• Hungarian: akció (hu), árleszállítás (hu)
• Italian: please add this translation if you can
• Japanese: スペシャル (supesharu)
• Korean: 스페셜 (seupesyeol)
• Malay: tawaran khas, tawaran istimewa
• Portuguese: please add this translation if you can
• Russian: распрода́жа (ru) f (rasprodáža)
• Slovak: zľava
• Spanish: oferta (es) f
• Swedish: specialerbjudande (sv) n
• Thai: please add this translation if you can
• Turkish: please add this translation if you can

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

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 特輯／特辑 (zh) (tèjí), 特辑 (zh) (tèjí), 專輯／专辑 (zh) (zhuānjí), 专辑 (zh) (zhuānjí)

• Finnish: erikoisjakso, erikoislähetys
• German: Sondersendung (de)
• Greek: έκτακτος (el) m (éktaktos)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Hebrew: פרק מיוחד m (pérek meyukhád), ספיישל m (spéyshel)
• Hungarian: különkiadás (hu)
• Japanese: スペシャル (supesharu)
• Korean: 스페셜 (seupesyeol)
• Swedish: specialavsnitt n

Verb

special (third-person singular simple present specials, present participle specialing or specialling, simple past and past participle specialed or specialled)

1. (nursing) To supervise a patient one-on-one.
   • 1905, Shadyside Hospital (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Annual Report‎^[2], page 27:

     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.

   • 2015 July 7, Jo-Ann Giandinoto, Karen-leigh Edward, “The phenomenon of co-morbid physical and mental illness in acute medical care: the lived experience of Australian health professionals”, in BMC Research Notes‎^[3], volume 8, →DOI:

     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…”

Anagrams

• epicals, piacles, plaices

---

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English special.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈspɛ.ʃɔl/, /ˈspɛ.ʃɑl/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: spe‧ci‧al

Noun

special m (plural specials)

1. A special broadcast episode.

Related terms

• speciaal

---

Middle French

Adjective

special m (feminine singular speciale, masculine plural speciaulx, feminine plural speciales)

1. special; extraordinary; beyond what is usual

---

Romanian

Etymology

From French spécial, from Latin specialis.

Adjective

special m or n (feminine singular specială, masculine plural speciali, feminine and neuter plural speciale)

1. special

Declension

		singular				plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine		masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative- accusative	indefinite	special		specială		speciali	speciale
	definite	specialul		speciala		specialii	specialele
genitive- dative	indefinite	special		speciale		speciali	speciale
	definite	specialului		specialei		specialilor	specialelor