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

Right now, 988 offers callers direct access to counselors with specialized training in supporting veterans, another population with higher suicide rates than the national average.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

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

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Here, specialized neurons release signals that either trigger or suppress growth hormone.

From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026

Cobblers were spies who specialized in making false documents, like birth certificates and passports, necessary to create a cover identity.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti