Especially
/ɪˈspeʃ.ə.li/noun
More than usually or particularly; above all.
Did you know?“Especially” descends from Latin words connected with seeing and distinguishing, because to identify something as special originally meant to recognize it as a particular kind or species.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*spek-
“to observe, look at, or examine”
Classical Latin
Latin
speciēs
“a seeing, appearance, kind, or species”
Late Latin
Latin
speciālis
“belonging to a particular kind; particular”
13th Century
Old French
especial
“particular, distinguished, or above ordinary”
14th Century
Middle English
especial
“particularly important or notable”
15th Century
English
especially
“in a special manner; particularly”
Modern English
English
especially
“particularly; above all”