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es·pe·cial

(ĭ-spĕshəl)

adj.

1. Of special importance or significance; exceptional: an occasion of especial joy.

2. Relating to or directed toward a particular person, group, or purpose: called his father with especial birthday wishes; gave especial attention to the decorations.

3. Peculiar to the individual; characteristic: She has an especial fondness for mushrooms.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin speciālis, of a kind, from speciēs, species; see spek- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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