special damage

noun

1

: damage for which a defendant is responsible but which must be pleaded and proved by plaintiff to be recoverable

2

: damage not ordinarily expected to be caused by defendant's wrong or breach of duty but in fact caused thereby under circumstances making defendant responsible

3

: damage peculiar to a plaintiff because of his particular condition or the particular circumstances in which he finds himself, but not ordinarily implied from defendant's wrong or breach of duty

4

: damage capable of being exactly measured in money or its equivalent as distinguished from damage which must be estimated and concerning which reasonable men might differ

5

: consequential damage

6

special damages plural : compensatory damages awarded for a particular harm or pecuniary loss for which special proof must be made

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!