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Origin and history of exceptional

exceptional(adj.)

1828, "out of the ordinary course, forming an exception, unusual," from exception + -al (1). Related: Exceptionally.

Exceptionalism "fact or quality of being exceptional" in some way, usually implying superiority to the unexceptional, is attested from 1864; the phrase American exceptionalism is attested by 1929, originally among communists, in reference to the argument about whether the United States is in some sense not subject to the historical rules of Marxism. It has been used in other ways since, often implying (and implicitly criticizing) a belief that the U.S. is somehow uniquely virtuous. Other noun forms include exceptionalness (1868), exceptionality (1851).

also from 1828

Entries linking to exceptional

exception(n.)

late 14c., excepcioun, "the act or fact of leaving out or the excluding of" from the scope of some rule or condition, from Anglo-French excepcioun (late 13c. in a legal sense, "formal objection or protest entered by a defendant"), Old French excepcion, from Latin exceptionem (nominative exceptio) "an exception, restriction, limitation; an objection," noun of action from past-participle stem of excipere "to take out" (see except).

From c. 1400 as "a reservation or exemption;" from late 15c. as "something that is excepted." The figure of speech in to take exception "find fault with, disapprove" is from excipere being used in Roman law as a modern attorney would say objection.

The exception that proves the rule is from law: exceptio probat regulam, short for exceptio probat regulam in casibus non exceptis, "the exception proves the rule in cases not excepted," also given in other similar wordings, said to be from Cicero. Exception here is "action of excepting" someone or something, not the person or thing that is excepted, and prove is "put (the rule) to the test, examine the truth of."

An item in "Notes & Queries" [F.C. Birkbeck Terry, July 1, 1893] points out the legalese origin, adding, "But scientific exactness now treats the question in another way." The shift was noted by the Rev. H. Percy Smith ("Glossary of Terms and Phrases," 1885), who defined the common understanding of exception proves the rule as "the fact of there being an exception proves the existence of a rule," or "an exception is essential to every rule."

But Smith noted that, properly, it means, "A special exception to a rule proves it to hold concerning things not specially excepted."

unexceptional(adj.)

"usual, not forming an exception," by 1866 (implied in unexceptionally), from un- (1) "not" + exceptional (adj.). Earlier the same word was used in the sense of "unexceptionable" (1775).

-al(1)

suffix forming adjectives from nouns or other adjectives, "of, like, related to, pertaining to," Middle English -al, -el, from French or directly from Latin -alis (see -al (2)).

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    especial
    late 14c., from Old French especial "pre-eminent, important," from Latin specialis "belonging to a particular kind or species," from species "kind" (see species). Latin words with initial sp-, st-, sc- usually acquired an e- in Old French (see e-). Modern French has restored the
    particular
    late 14c., "pertaining to or affecting a single thing or person; pertaining to some and not to all," from Old French particuler (14c., Modern French particulier) and directly from Late Latin particularis "of a part, concerning a small part," from Latin particula "little bit or pa
    special
    c. 1200, "given or granted in unusual circumstances, exceptional;" also "specific" as opposed to general or common; from Old French special, especial "special, particular, unusual" (12c., Modern French spécial) and directly from Latin specialis "individual, particular" (source al
    catachresis
    "an improper or inconsistent metaphor, exceptional or undue extension of a word's meaning" (as "to stone someone with bricks...
    phenomenal
    Meaning "remarkable, exceptional, exciting wonder" is by 1850....
    blossom
    Figurative uses, in reference to a thing of exceptional beauty or excellence or the prime of life are in late Old English...
    buster
    1838, "anything large or exceptional; a man of great strength," American English slang (originally Missouri/Arkansas), perhaps...
    Olympian
    "of or belonging to Olympus," the mountain in Thessaly fabled to be the seat of the gods, c. 1600; see Olympus + -ian. The noun meaning "one of the twelve greater god of ancient Greece" is attested from 1843, from Late Latin Olympianus, from Greek Olympios "pertaining to Olympus.
    prodigious
    1550s, "ominous, portentous" (a sense now obsolete), from French prodigieux and directly from Latin prodigiosus "strange, wonderful, marvelous, unnatural," from prodigium "an omen, portent, monster" (see prodigy). From 1560s as "causing wonder or amazement;" 1570s as "unnatural,
    transgression
    late 14c., from Old French transgression "transgression," particularly that relating to Adam and the Fall (12c.), from Late Latin transgressionem (nominative transgressio) "a transgression of the law," in classical Latin, "a going over, a going across," noun of action from transg

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