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
- nonspecialized adjective
- overspecialized adjective
- unspecialized adjective
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.
Instead, we turned to synchrotron light, a powerful form of high-intensity x-rays produced at specialized particle accelerator facilities.
From Science Daily • Apr. 26, 2026
The experiment also relied on a specialized detector known as WASA, originally developed in Uppsala, Sweden.
From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2026
Doncic went to Spain to receive specialized treatment with hopes of speeding up his recovery and rejoined the team on the sideline last Saturday in time for Game 1.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026
He noted that the United States benefits from imports of specialized machinery too, as it tries to boost domestic manufacturing.
From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026
Béroud specialized in lovingly detailed depictions of the Louvre.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
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.
