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

Etymology

Origin of specialized

specialize ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

With specialized imaging tools, the team found that cells actively generate directional fluid flows, which they compare to atmospheric rivers.

From Science Daily

Some cichlids evolved into predators, while others specialized in feeding on algae, sifting sand, or consuming plankton.

From Science Daily

Then on Friday, it was announced that FanDuel, which is both a betting platform and a sports network specializing in horse racing, is winding down its specialized studio and on-site talent programming this year.

From Los Angeles Times

California, Texas, and Ohio use specialized transfer-on-death deeds, while Florida uses a “lady bird” deed, which also bypasses probate.

From MarketWatch

Yonaguni will be the first to host jammers specialized in countering aerial threats, the officials said.

From The Wall Street Journal