specialism

American

[spesh-uh-liz-uhm] / ˈspɛʃ əˌlɪz əm /

noun

devotion or restriction to a particular pursuit, branch of study, etc.

specialism British

/ ˈspɛʃəˌlɪzəm /

noun

the act or process of specializing in something, or the thing itself

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of specialism

First recorded in 1855–60; special + -ism

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.

The longest outpatient waiting list is for general surgery, however, every treatment specialism list has grown, with the exception of ophthalmology.

From BBC • Nov. 28, 2024

Obstetrics and gynaecology, she says, is a particularly demanding specialism that requires researchers to keep up their clinical skills on a regular basis.

From BBC • Dec. 2, 2023

Dr Maybin tells me there are issues with attracting people to the specialism.

From BBC • Dec. 2, 2023

He added the team had built up a "niche specialism" in restoring Banksys, adding an "iconic piece" from the artist was due to arrive over the summer.

From BBC • May 26, 2023

“I’m afraid I’m not good on dragons. I know the red-winged, the silver, the yellow, the starlit, the bearded, and the orchard dragon. But the sea is my specialism, not the sky.”

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023