"special" = (of occurrences, gestures, etc.) emotionally or sentimentally moving; tenderly affecting.

[Jonathan Lighter]

This became prominent about twenty-five years ago, IIRC, too late for OED2.  Now, of course, it's everywhere. Many of us find it drippy. What the hell's wrong with "affecting" or "moving" or even "sweet"?

  Here's a good printed ex.:

  2001 _Bart Simpson [Comics]_ (No. 6) (unp.): He...he...winked at me, too. It was very special!

  JL


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