- past participle of specialize.
- past tense form of specialize.
specialized
Americanadjective
-
invested with a special character or restricted to a special function or field of activity.
He campaigned for a specialized burn department to be established at the hospital.
The humanities, once a highly specialized pursuit, have rapidly become a much broader conversation.
-
Biology. (of an organism or organ) adapted to a special function or environment.
If the coastal sage scrub were to vanish, so would these specialized species of insects that are dependent on it.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of specialized
Explanation
Someone or something specialized has a specific purpose or function. A podiatrist is a specialized doctor. With months of specialized training, a person could learn to walk over hot coals. Good thing that there are doctors specialized in fixing feet. The word specialized comes from special. Something special is important, notable, or unique in some way. A specialized hammer is made for one, specific purpose. A specialized teacher has expertise in a particular subject. NASCAR drivers use specialized cars, and assemble-at-home furniture comes with specialized tools. The opposite of a specialized thing is a general thing, which could be used in many circumstances. Something specialized is tailored to one job.
Vocabulary lists containing specialized
Cell Biology - Middle School
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Cell Biology - High School
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Specialized advice may be necessary because of complicated income-tax, asset-protection, estate-planning, and philanthropic considerations.
From Barron's • Jun. 13, 2026
Specialized proteins carry these barcodes from the neuron's main body to the synapse, the point where two neurons meet.
From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026
MuSCAT3 and MuSCAT4: Specialized multicolor cameras designed to measure changes in starlight across different wavelengths to improve transit and starspot analysis.
From Science Daily • Dec. 4, 2025
An investigation conducted by the Mexican state attorney general’s Specialized Prosecutor’s Office in Crimes Against Life determined that Raya arrived at the location on the night of April 27 and befriended the men.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2025
Specialized robots had been sent to follow the poison tide’s path and to remove the toxic dust as they went.
From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
