specially
SPEH-shuh-lee
Specially (adv) means For a particular purpose, person, or occasion. Example: “These boots were specially designed for walking in deep snow.”
adv
1
For a particular purpose, person, or occasion.
"The train is waiting specially for a high-ranking diplomat."
"These boots were specially designed for walking in deep snow."
"We cleared the garage specially so the children could have a play space."
"The school is specially for any child whose schooling was disrupted by illness."
"We had this cake made specially for your birthday."
"The cake was specially made for her birthday."
2
Particularly or especially.
"I love autumn walks, specially when the leaves are turning gold."
"The shop is busy at weekends, specially around lunchtime."
"It was a good year, specially for the sales team."
How to use specially
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDone for a specific reason or occasion, or used to mean "particularly."
Common mistake
"Especially" is the more standard choice when you mean "particularly"; "specially" is preferred when you mean "for a specific purpose" (specially made, specially trained).
Easily confused with
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Etymology
Traced to Middle English specialli, specially, formed from special plus -ly.
Synonyms
View more →
especially
particularly
specifically
expressly
notably
peculiarly
for a special purpose
passing
quite
Related words
Rhymes for specially
See all rhymes for specially →Frequently asked questions
What does “specially” mean?
The word “specially” means for a particular purpose, person, or occasion. In plain terms, done for a specific reason or occasion, or used to mean "particularly.".
How do you pronounce “specially”?
“Specially” is pronounced SPEH-shuh-lee (/ˈspɛʃəli/ in IPA).
How do you use “specially” in a sentence?
Here is “specially” used in a sentence: “The cake was specially made for her birthday.”
What is another word for “specially”?
Words with a similar meaning to “specially” include for a special purpose, passing and quite.
What part of speech is “specially”?
“Specially” is an adverb.
Is “specially” a common word?
“Specially” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “specially” have?
“Specially” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: for a particular purpose, person, or occasion.
What is the difference between specially and especially?
Specially means for a particular purpose, person, or occasion: "the cake was made specially for you." Especially means above all or particularly: "I like fruit, especially mangoes." In casual speech specially often stands in for especially, but careful writing keeps the two apart.
When should you use specially instead of especially?
Use specially when something is done or created for one specific purpose, person, or occasion, typically before a past participle: specially designed, specially made, specially trained, specially commissioned. If the word could be replaced by "particularly," especially is usually the better choice.
Is "specially" just an informal form of "especially"?
In informal speech specially does often appear as a clipped form of especially, as in "I specially liked the ending," and dictionaries record this "particularly" sense. In formal writing, though, especially is preferred for that meaning, with specially reserved for the "for a particular purpose" sense.
