exceptionally

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/ɪkˈsɛp(t)ʃənəli//ɪkˈsɛp(t)ʃənli//ɪkˈsɛp(t)ʃnəli//ɛk-/

adverb

To an unusual, remarkable or exceptional degree.

“In 1957, an exceptionally severe hailstorm struck the village.”

Less commonScrabble 27

Meanings

adverbexceptionally (comparative more exceptionally, superlative most exceptionally)

comparative more exceptionally · superlative most exceptionally

  1. To an unusual, remarkable or exceptional degree.

    In 1957, an exceptionally severe hailstorm struck the village.

    2 more examples

    The shed, a steel-framed structure with a single-span roof devoid of intermediate support, is exceptionally well-lit by continuous glazing on the roof and along much of the sides, while there is fluorescent roof lighting for night work.

    1960 July, “New Eastern Region diesel depot at Finsbury Park”, in Trains Illustrated, pages 422–423

    “At current and foreseeable oil prices, the industry’s appetite to drill in ANWR will be exceptionally low and quite possibly will be zero,” Pavel Molchanov, energy analyst at Raymond James, told CNN Business.

    2020 August 18, Matt Egan, “It’s a bizarre time for Trump to open Alaska’s Arctic refuge up to oil drilling”, in CNN Business, archived from the original on 07 Sep 2023

    Synonyms: uncommonly, extraordinarily · Antonyms: categorically, commonly, generally

Synonyms & antonyms

adverbTo an unusual, remarkable or exceptional degree.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁éǵʰ
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₁éǵʰs
  3. Proto-Italic*eks
  4. Latinex
  5. Latinex-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*kap-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*kapyéti
  8. Proto-Italic*kapjō
  9. Latincapiō
  10. Latinexcipiō
  11. Latinexceptiō
  12. Old Frenchexcepcion
  13. Anglo-Normanexcepcioun
  14. Middle Englishexception
  15. Englishexception
  16. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  17. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  18. Englishexceptional
  19. Proto-Indo-European*leyg-
  20. Proto-Germanic*līką
  21. Englishexceptionally

From exceptional + -ly.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan excepcionalment
  • excepcionalmentunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Chinese Mandarin 分外, 格外
  • 分外 (fènwài)unusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
  • 格外 (géwài)unusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Czech výjimečně
  • výjimečněunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Danish undtagelsesvis
  • undtagelsesvisunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Dutch buitengewoon
  • buitengewoonunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Finnish poikkeuksellisen
  • poikkeuksellisenunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
French exceptionnellement
  • exceptionnellementunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
German besonders, außergewöhnlich
  • besondersunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
  • außergewöhnlichunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
  • außerordentlichunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
  • ausnahmsweiseunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
  • überdurchschnittlichunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Greek εξαιρετικά
  • εξαιρετικά (exairetiká)unusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Hungarian kivételesen
  • kivételesenunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Icelandic undantekningartilvikum
  • undantekningartilvikumunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Italian eccezionalmente
  • eccezionalmenteunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Japanese 例外的に, 特別に
  • 例外的に (reigaiteki ni)unusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
  • 特別に (tokubetsu ni)unusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Korean 예외적으로
  • 예외적으로 (ye'oejeogeuro)unusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Latin eximiē
  • eximiēunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Norwegian Bokmål eksepsjonelt
  • eksepsjoneltunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Polish wyjątkowo
  • wyjątkowounusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Portuguese excepcionalmente
  • excepcionalmenteunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Russian исключи́тельно
  • исключи́тельно (isključítelʹno)unusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Slovak výnimočne
  • výnimočneunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Spanish excepcionalmente
  • excepcionalmenteunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Swedish exceptionellt
  • exceptionelltunusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Ukrainian винятко́во
  • винятко́во (vynjatkóvo)unusual, remarkable or exceptional degree
Cite this entry
APA

exceptionally. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/exceptionally

MLA

“exceptionally.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/exceptionally. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “exceptionally,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/exceptionally.

Source: exceptionally on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.