Where does “special” come from?
Special comes from Middle English special, from Old French especial, from Latin specialis, an adjective formed from specio meaning to see or look at.
special (English): Distinguished by a unique or unusual quality; Of...
Definitions
- Distinguished by a unique or unusual quality; Of...
Ancestry of “special”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | special | — |
| 2 | Old French | especial | special; powerful; mighty |
| 3 | Latin | specialis | specific |
| 4 | Latin | speciēs | — |
| 5 | Latin | speciō | — |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | spekjō | to observe, to see |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | spéḱyeti | to be looking at, to keep looking at |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | speḱ- | to see, to look, to observe |
Words derived from “special”