Wordwyrt

especially

/əˈspeʃli/uh-SPESH-lee
/əˈspɛʃli/uh-SPESH-lee

Meaningin a special way

Common meaning: more than usual

Other meanings: above all

Journey through time

  1. Latinspecialis‘particular’source
  2. Old Frenchespecial‘particular’source
  3. Englishespecial‘more notable or specific than others’
  4. Englishformed in English from especialespecially‘more than usual’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Formed in English from especial + -ly.

Dictionary: Skeat (1898), ESPECIAL, p.195 · scan

Source words

  • specialis Latin · source word “particular”

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