Definitions for Special
ˈspɛʃ əlspe·cial

Princeton's WordNet(3.57 / 14 votes)Rate this definition:

1. specialnoun

   a special offering (usually temporary and at a reduced price) that is featured in advertising

   "they are having a special on pork chops"

2. specialnoun

   a dish or meal given prominence in e.g. a restaurant

3. specialadjective

   a television production that features a particular person or work or topic

   "the last of a series of BBC specials on Iran is being shown tonight"

4. particular(a), peculiar(a), special(a)adjective

   unique or specific to a person or thing or category

   "the particular demands of the job"; "has a particular preference for Chinese art"; "a peculiar bond of sympathy between them"; "an expression peculiar to Canadians"; "rights peculiar to the rich"; "the special features of a computer"; "my own special chair"

5. specialadjective

   for a special service or occasion

   "a special correspondent"; "a special adviser to the committee"; "had to get special permission for the event"

6. especial(a), exceptional, particular(a), specialadjective

   surpassing what is common or usual or expected

   "he paid especial attention to her"; "exceptional kindness"; "a matter of particular and unusual importance"; "a special occasion"; "a special reason to confide in her"; "what's so special about the year 2000?"

7. specialadjective

   adapted to or reserved for a particular purpose

   "a special kind of paint"; "a special medication for arthritis"

8. limited, specialadjective

   having a specific function or scope

   "a special (or specific) role in the mission"

9. particular, specialadjective

   first and most important

   "his special interest is music"; "she gets special (or particular) satisfaction from her volunteer work"

10. extra, specialadjective

    added to a regular schedule

    "a special holiday flight"; "put on special buses for the big game"

Wiktionary(1.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. specialnoun

   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. specialnoun

   Unusual or exceptional episode of a series

3. specialnoun

   A special constable.

4. specialnoun

   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. specialadjective

   Distinguished by a unique or unusual quality.

   a special episode of a television series

6. specialadjective

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

   Everyone is special to someone.

7. specialadjective

   Retarded; mentally handicapped

   He goes to a special school.

8. specialadjective

   Constituting or relating to a species.

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

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Specialadjective

   Etymology: special, Fr. specialis, Latin.

   1. Noting a sort or species.

   A special idea is called by the schools a species. Isaac Watts.

   2. Particular; peculiar.

   Most commonly with a certain special grace of her own, wagging her lips, and grinning instead of smiling. Philip Sidney.

   The several books of scripture having had each some several occasion and particular purpose which caused them to be written, the contents thereof are according to the exigence of that special end whereunto they are intended. Richard Hooker.

   Of all men alive
   I never yet beheld that special face,
   Which I could fancy more than any other. William Shakespeare.

   Nought so vile that on the earth doth live,
   But to the earth some special good doth give. William Shakespeare.

   Our Saviour is represented every where in scripture, as the special patron of the poor and the afflicted, and as laying their interests to heart more nearly than those of any other of his members. Francis Atterbury, Sermons.

   3. Appropriate; designed for a particular purpose.

   O Neal, upon his marriage with a daughter of Kildare, was made denizen by a special act of parliament. Davies.

   4. Extraordinary; uncommon.

   That which necessity of some special time doth cause to be enjoined, bindeth no longer than during that time, but doth afterward become free. Richard Hooker.

   Though our charity should be universal, yet as it cannot be actually exercised, but on particular times, so it should be chiefly on special opportunities. Thomas Sprat, Sermons.

   He bore
   A paunch of the same bulk before;
   Which still he had a special care
   To keep well cramm’d with thrifty fare. Hudibras.

   5. Chief in excellence.

   The king hath drawn
   The special head of all the land together. William Shakespeare, Henry IV.

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Specialadjective

   of or pertaining to a species; constituting a species or sort

2. Specialadjective

   particular; peculiar; different from others; extraordinary; uncommon

3. Specialadjective

   appropriate; designed for a particular purpose, occasion, or person; as, a special act of Parliament or of Congress; a special sermon

4. Specialadjective

   limited in range; confined to a definite field of action, investigation, or discussion; as, a special dictionary of commercial terms; a special branch of study

5. Specialadjective

   chief in excellence

6. Specialnoun

   a particular

7. Specialnoun

   one appointed for a special service or occasion

Freebase(5.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Special

   "Special" is an alternative rock song written, performed and produced by Garbage, and was the third international single to be released from the band's platinum second album Version 2.0. "Special" gained much attention in the music press upon the 1998 release of Version 2.0, as it contained a vocal interpolation of a lyric taken from "Talk of The Town" by The Pretenders. A moderate hit in the United Kingdom and Australia in October 1998, "Special" became a sleeper hit in the United States the following year. The song's success was marked by becoming nominated in the Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group categories at the 2000 Grammy Awards, and winning a Wisconsin Area Music Industry award for Song of the Year and a Citation of Achievement from the BMI Pop Awards. The acclaimed sci-fi inspired music video for "Special" also received multiple nominations from music industry award panels; winning a D&AD Award, a MTV Video Music Award, and a VH1 Visionary Video award. In 2007, "Special" was remastered and included on Garbage's greatest hits album Absolute Garbage.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Special

   spesh′al, adj. of a species or sort; particular: distinctive: uncommon: designed for a particular purpose: confined to a particular subject or application.—n. any special or particular person or thing: any person or thing set apart for a particular duty—a constable, a railway-tram, &c.: a newspaper extra, a despatch from a special correspondent.—n. Specialisā′tion, the act or process of specialising: differentiation, as of organs, functions, &c.—v.t. Spec′ialise, to make specifically distinct, to limit to a particular kind of action or use.—v.i. to act in some particular way, to take a particular direction, as to devote one's self especially to some particular branch of study.—ns. Spec′ialism, devotion to some particular study or pursuit; Spec′ialist, one who devotes himself to a special subject.—adj. Specialist′ic.—n. Special′ity, the particular characteristic of a person or thing: a special occupation or object of attention.—adv. Spec′ially.—ns. Spec′ialty, something special or distinctive: any special product, article of sale or of manufacture: any special pursuit, department of study, &c.: a special contract for the payment of money; Specie (spē′shi), gold and silver coin, metallic money (abl. of L. species, kind); Spē′cies, a group of individuals having common marks or characteristics, specialised from others of the same genus to which it is subordinate: a group under a higher class, a kind or sort, a distinct constituent part, an element: an appearance to the senses, an image of an external object presented to the eye or the mind; Spē′cies-mong′er, one who busies himself with classifications only, indifferent to wider biological relations, one who makes distinctions for distinction's sake; Spēcif′ic, a remedy which has a special power in a particular disease: an infallible remedy.—adjs. Spēcif′ic, -al, pertaining to, or constituting, a species: that specifies: peculiar to: produced by some special cause: precise: infallible.—adv. Spēcif′ically.—ns. Spēcif′icalness, Spēcif′icness, the state or quality of being specific.—Special constable (see Constable); Special license (see License); Special pleading (see Plead); Special verdict (see Verdict).—Specific density, the mass of any given substance contained in unit volume; Specific gravity, the weight of any given substance as compared with the weight of an equal bulk or volume of water or other standard substance at the same temperature and pressure; Specific heat (see Heat).

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. special

   Song lyrics by special -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by special on the Lyrics.com website.

Matched Categories

1. • Dish
   • Offer

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Special' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #409

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Special' in Written Corpus Frequency: #669

3. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Special' in Adjectives Frequency: #43

Anagrams for Special »

1. piacles

2. plaices

How to pronounce Special?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say Special in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Special in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Special in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of Special in a Sentence

1. R. Buckminster Fuller:

   A self-balancing, 28-jointed adaptor-based biped; an electro-chemical reduction plant, integral with segregated stowages of special energy extracts in storage batteries, for subsequent actuation of thousands of hydraulic and pneumatic pumps, with motors attached; 62,000 miles of capillaries....

2. The DCCC:

   The Proposed Map is the result of a flawed process that did not provide the public, including minority voters who live in historically marginalized communities, with an opportunity to provide input, we urge the Special Master to uncouple Black incumbents and reunite communities of interest around New York City, on Long Island, and in the Hudson River Valley.

3. Greg Bockheim:

   A siamang birth is an important addition to this critically endangered lesser ape, and watching a baby grow and engage with its family is special for all of us.

4. Émile Durkheim:

   Each victim of suicide gives his act a personal stamp which expresses his temperament, the special conditions in which he is involved, and which, consequently, cannot be explained by the social and general causes of the phenomenon.

5. Yvonne Orji:

   I'm actually hosting' Yearly Departed' on Amazon Prime and it's not quite a comedy like a stand-up comedy special, but it is a comedy.

Popularity rank by frequency of use