special needs

noun

Needs for special care, services or accommodations for people with disabilities.

“The school has introduced provisions for pupils with special needs.”

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Meanings

nounspecial needs pl (plural only)
  1. euphemisticidiomaticpluralplural onlyNeeds for special care, services or accommodations for people with disabilities.

    The school has introduced provisions for pupils with special needs.

  2. pluralplural onlyUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see special, needs.

    Am I really hard to please? Perhaps I have such special needs I wondered what was wrong with me My friends all fall so easily

    1975-6, “I Thought It Took a Little Time (But Today I Fell in Love)”, performed by Diana Ross
adjectivespecial needs (comparative more special needs, superlative most special needs)

comparative more special needs · superlative most special needs

  1. euphemisticidiomaticHaving special needs (noun sense 1).

Translations

Finnish erityistarpeet
  • erityistarpeetneeds for special care, services or accommodations for disabilities — see also disabled, handicapped
German but see Förderbedarf, Menschen mit körperlichen oder geistigen Einschränkungen
  • but see Förderbedarfneeds for special care, services or accommodations for disabilities — see also disabled, handicapped
  • Menschen mit körperlichen oder geistigen Einschränkungenneeds for special care, services or accommodations for disabilities — see also disabled, handicapped
Hungarian sajátos nevelési igény
  • sajátos nevelési igényneeds for special care, services or accommodations for disabilities — see also disabled, handicapped
Polish specjalne potrzeby
  • specjalne potrzebyneeds for special care, services or accommodations for disabilities — see also disabled, handicapped
Welsh anghenion arbennig
  • anghenion arbennigneeds for special care, services or accommodations for disabilities — see also disabled, handicapped
Cite this entry
APA

special needs. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/special%20needs

MLA

“special needs.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/special%20needs. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “special needs,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/special%20needs.

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