Showing results for "specialized"

• past participle of specialize.
• past tense form of specialize.

specialized

American  

[spesh-uh-lahyzd] / ˈspɛʃ əˌlaɪzd /

especially British, specialised

adjective

1. 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.

2. 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.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of specialize.

Other Word Forms

• nonspecialized
  adjective
• overspecialized
  adjective
• unspecialized
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of specialized

specialize ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

specialized

“We made alignment a central focus of GPT‑6 Cyber, using specialized training to help the model stay within authorized scope, follow restrictions on its actions, and report its work accurately.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

By turning molten glass into a material whose chemistry can be deliberately adjusted, the discovery offers a new route toward specialized glasses with properties that conventional manufacturing techniques could not easily produce.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026

Over time, muscle tissue may develop scar tissue, accumulate fat, and lose some of the specialized fibers responsible for rapid, powerful movements.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026

Both also said they wanted to revive internal programs the outgoing city attorney had scuttled, such as neighborhood prosecutors and specialized units for handing child abuse and domestic violence.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

Commoners were barred, except for a few specialized technicians and craftworkers.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

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