spectacular

CEFRB1

/spɛkˈtæk.jʊ.lə/

adjective · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

01
adjective
Very impressive, exciting, or beautiful to see.
02
adjective
Extra detail
Related to, or having the character of, a spectacle or entertainment.

Examples

The view from the mountain top was spectacular.
The coastal road has spectacular scenery.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses: 5
Parts of speech: 2
Citations: 5

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

Relating to spectacles, or glasses for the eyes.
Amazing or worthy of special notice.

noun

Extra meaning

A spectacular display.

More examples

In context

These fireworks are spectacular!
The parachutists were spectacular.
the merely spectacular

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

After a long hike, the view from the mountaintop was absolutely blank.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Citations

The word in print, with each source given in full.

A branch of rail transport that seems to been rather neglected by historians is that concerned with cliff railways, of which a fair number exist in Great Britain. This is probably because these lines are overshadowed by the more spectacular funicular railways in Switzerland and other mountainous regions; perhaps, too, because of the general habit of referring to them as "cliff lifts," which tends to associate them with the vertical indoor type.
1951 August, P. W. Gentry, “Cliff Railways”, in Railway Magazine, page 514
Between 8 and 9 p.m., the recorder at a meteorological station at Harrow, Middlesex, picked up 1,470 lightning flashes within a radius of 10 to 15 miles, and observers at the station described the storm as "probably one of the most spectacular of the century."
1958 November 26, “Storm Damage in the Home Counties”, in Railway Magazine, page 746
Though business has more or less held up so far, a series of drug-related spectaculars sparked an exodus of the city's upper class this summer.
16 October 2010, “Under the volcano”, in The Economist
Here are a few examples of "spectaculars," or three-dimensional pieces, including those which have won awards […]
1966, Hanley Norins, The Compleat Copywriter
The like clamour, and outcry, the Rabble of the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles made againſt Polycarp Biſhop of Smyrna, at the time of his Martyrdom. crying out againſt him to the Governour, that he ſhould caſt him to the Lyons, and when he anſwered them he could not, becauſe the Spectacular ſports were concluded, then they cry’d out, Burn him, burn him, juſt as the Jews cryed out againſt Chriſt to Pilate, Crucify him, crucify him.
1681, George Hickes, A Sermon Preached before the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Citizens of London

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Origin

adjective

From Latin spectaculum (“a sight, show”) + -ar.

Deep Dive

adjective

noun

More examples

Quick test

After a long hike, the view from the mountaintop was absolutely blank—.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

After a long hike, the view from the mountaintop was absolutely blank.