exceptional

exception +‎ -al

• IPA^(key): /ɪkˈsɛpʃənəl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ex‧cep‧tion‧al

exceptional (comparative more exceptional, superlative most exceptional)

1. Forming an exception; not ordinary; uncommon; rare.

   What an exceptional meal!

2. Better than the average; superior due to exception or rarity.

   The quality of the beer was exceptional.

3. (geometry) Corresponding to something of lower dimension under a birational correspondence.

   an exceptional curve; an exceptional divisor

• See also Thesaurus:excellent
• egregious (most often used negatively, however)

• (antonym(s) of “forming an exception”): ordinary, categorical, common, general, usual
• (antonym(s) of “superior due to exception or rarity”): ordinary, mediocre, commonplace

exceptional (plural exceptionals)

1. An exception, or something having an exceptional value
   • 1909, Pediatrics, volume 21, page 276:

     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.