specially

UK: /ˈspɛʃ^əli/ US: /ˈspɛʃəli/

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

spe•cial•ly /ˈspɛʃəli/  adv. 

1. particularly;
   for a certain, specific purpose:
   The plane was waiting specially for the high-ranking diplomat.
See -spec-.

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

spe•cial /ˈspɛʃəl/   adj. 

1. of a particular kind or character;
   different:
   a special key.
2. having a specific function, purpose, etc.:
   a special messenger to greet the ambassador.
3. out of the ordinary;
   remarkable;
   exceptional:
   a document of special importance.
4. particularly valued;
   outstanding:
   She's a special friend of mine.

n. [countable]

5. a special person or thing.
6. a temporary lowering of the price of regularly stocked goods, esp. food;
   sale:
   The supermarket is having a special on bananas: five pounds for a dollar.
7. Show Business a single television program not forming part of a regular series:
   a special on alternative medicine.

See -spec-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

spe•cial  (spesh′əl), adj. 

1. of a distinct or particular kind or character:
   a special kind of key.
2. being a particular one;
   particular, individual, or certain:
   You'd better call the special number.
3. pertaining or peculiar to a particular person, thing, instance, etc.;
   distinctive;
   unique:
   the special features of a plan.
4. having a specific or particular function, purpose, etc.:
   a special messenger.
5. distinguished or different from what is ordinary or usual:
   a special occasion; to fix something special.
6. extraordinary;
   exceptional, as in amount or degree;
   especial:
   special importance.
7. being such in an exceptional degree;
   particularly valued:
   a special friend.

n. 

8. a special person or thing.
9. a train used for a particular purpose, occasion, or the like.
10. Journalism a special edition of a newspaper.
11. Show Business [Theat.] a spotlight reserved for a particular area, property, actor, etc.:
    Give me the coffin special.
12. a temporary, arbitrary reduction in the price of regularly stocked goods, esp. food;
    a particularly worthwhile offer or price:
    The special this week is on sirloin steaks.
13. Show Business [Television.] a single program not forming part of a regular series.

• Latin speciālis of a given species, equivalent. to speci(ēs) species + -ālis -al¹; see especial
• Middle English (adjective, adjectival) 1175–1225

spe′cial•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 5. singular.
  Special, particular, specific refer to something pointed out for attention and consideration.
  Special means given unusual treatment because of being uncommon:
  a special sense of a word.
  Particular implies something selected from the others of its kind and set off from them for attention:
  a particular variety of orchid.
  Specific implies plain and unambiguous indication of a particular instance, example, etc.:
  a specific instance of cowardice.

Antonyms

• 1. general.

Usage

In American English the adjective special is overwhelmingly more common than especial in all senses:
He will be of special help if you can't understand the documentation.
The reverse is true of the adverbs; here especially is by far the more common:
He will be of great help, especially if you have trouble understanding the documentation.
Only when the sense "specifically'' is intended is specially more idiomatic:
The machine was specially designed for use by a left-handed operator.