Especially or specially?

Especially and specially are adverbs.

Especially means ‘particularly’ or ‘above all’:

• She loves flowers, especially roses.
• I am especially grateful to all my family and friends who supported me. Not: Especially I am …

We use specially to talk about the specific purpose of something:

• This kitchen was specially designed to make it easy for a disabled person to use.
• He has his shirts made specially for him by a tailor in London.

Especially can also be used to mean ‘for a particular purpose’:

• I bought these (e)specially for you.

See also

• Adverbs