English · Word Candidate

exceptional

/ɪkˈsɛpʃənəl/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: exceptionals

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Forming an exception; not ordinary; uncommon; rare.

Adjective

Examples

What an exceptional meal!

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Forming an exception; not ordinary; uncommon; rare. — Requiring special schooling for reasons of intellectual giftedness or physical or mental disability.

Adjective

Examples

The origins of the conditions and disorders that exceptional learners have are not always well understood.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

An exception, or something having an exceptional value

Noun

Examples

Above and beyond all these exceptionals, by reason of divergencies from the norms of mental and of physical status, there are quite a number of moral defectives.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “exceptional” mean?

Forming an exception; not ordinary; uncommon; rare.

Is “exceptional” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.