after school special

noun

A television program broadcast in the mid- to late afternoon and directed toward adolescents, usually dealing with controversial or socially relevant issues.

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Meanings

nounafter school special (plural after school specials)

plural after school specials · alternative after-school special

  1. USA television program broadcast in the mid- to late afternoon and directed toward adolescents, usually dealing with controversial or socially relevant issues.

Origin

Coined in 1972 by the American Broadcasting Company.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

after school special. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/after%20school%20special

MLA

“after school special.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/after%20school%20special. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “after school special,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/after%20school%20special.

Source: after school special on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.