What does exceptional mean?
"Exceptional" is an adjective describing something that stands apart from the norm, whether in quality or in character. Its most common use is strongly positive: an exceptional athlete, student, or performance is one of outstanding merit, far above the usual standard. In a second, more neutral sense, it simply means unusual or atypical, as in "under exceptional circumstances," where it signals a rare departure from normal conditions — a usage especially common in legal and official contexts. The word derives from Latin roots meaning "to take out," reflecting the idea of something taken out of the general run of things. It pairs naturally with nouns such as talent, ability, circumstances, and case. Because of its similarity to the rarer word "exceptionable," which means open to objection, writers should take care not to confuse the two. Overall, "exceptional" is a versatile, well-established term for anything remarkable or outside the ordinary.
Unusual; not typical; deviating from the norm, often in a way that warrants special treatment or mention.
"Visa rules can be relaxed only in exceptional cases."
Unusually good; outstanding; surpassing what is ordinary or expected.
"He is an exceptional pianist with international acclaim."
In the 17th century, calling something 'exceptional' could actually mean it was objectionable — the word 'exceptionable' still carries that older, critical sense today.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of exceptional
"Exceptional" comes from Latin "excipere," meaning "to take out" or "to except," formed from "ex-" (out) plus "capere" (to take). It entered English via the noun "exception" in medieval French, with the adjective attested from around the early 17th century. It shares this root with words such as "except," "accept," "capture," and "capable."
Related word forms
How exceptional is actually used
Fully standard in both formal and informal contexts. The neutral sense ('unusual') is common in legal and official language (e.g. 'exceptional circumstances'), while the evaluative sense ('outstanding') is the more frequent everyday use and is strongly positive.
Easily confused with exceptional
'Exceptionable' means liable to objection or criticism, while 'exceptional' means unusual or outstandingly good — the two are near-opposites despite their similarity.