special session
- noun
- The city council has decided to hold a special session to discuss the urgent repairs needed for the bridge.
- convene a special session
- call a special session
- hold a special session
I once taught this little special session for students who were competing in this contest.
- I once taught this little special session for students who were competing in this contest.
Examples
-
In light of these emergencies, he summoned a special session of Congress to meet on October 26, 1807.
Academic text (2016) -
First thing Monday, I'm convening a special session of the student-faculty disciplinary committee.
-
Congress will vote tomorrow night in a special session.
Fiction book (1990) -
Its report was submitted to the University Council, which met in special session on January 13, 1987.
Academic text (2000) -
We asked the governor to call a special session and applauded him for doing so.
Blog text (4) -
I've called for a special session of the senate to hear your position.
-
The board has agreed to convene on a special session... at Lincoln High tomorrow evening.
-
Senator Organa, the supreme chancellor requests your presence... at a special session of Congress.
-
The Appanoose County Board of Supervisors held a special session at 2 p.m.
Blog text (10) -
Dorman has drafted a petition that would call legislators in for a special session to decide what to do.
Blog text (27)
Synonyms
A gathering called at short notice to deal with a serious problem
How Urgent
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and transparently derived from combining 'special' (not ordinary or intended for a particular purpose) with 'session' (a meeting or scheduled time), so it denotes a meeting called for a specific or urgent purpose. This simple adjective+noun composition follows common cross‑linguistic patterns and would be readily understood by a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.
Etymology
The phrase special session comes from the simple idea of a meeting kept apart from the usual schedule: a session that is special, called only to deal with one problem. So, it means 'a meeting held in addition to regular meetings to deal with urgent or specific matters'.