specialized

[ spesh-uh-lahyzd ]

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.

verb

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

Other Words From

• non·spe·cial·ized especially British, non·spe·cial·ised adjective
• o·ver·spe·cial·ized especially British, o·ver·spe·cial·ised adjective
• un·spe·cial·ized especially British, un·spe·cial·ised adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of specialized¹

specialize ( def ) + -ed ²( def )

Example Sentences

There are a range of companies, both medical distribution companies and companies specializing in logistics, that have capabilities and strengths in different regions of the country and are ready to help.

From Fortune

That’s when one of the workers called his wife to tell her he was bringing the owl home, and asking her if she could find a place that specialized in helping wildlife animals.

From Washington Post

Amanda Gefter is a freelance writer specializing in fundamental physics, cosmology, cognitive science, and philosophy.

From Nautilus

However, the landscape includes smaller, independent players that specialize in providing favorable terms and more personalized communications.

From Digiday

Mark Goldberg, a partner at Index Ventures who specializes in fintech, says that the current environment means some challenger banks will struggle or see themselves get acquired.

From Fortune

Diagnosis of CTE is often considered to be specialized and has to occur at a designated institution like Boston University.

From The Daily Beast

We saw the emergence of fashion designers who specialized in creating abayas.

From The Daily Beast

But putting the specialized troops the Pentagon calls “Joint Terminal Air Controllers,” or JTACs, into combat comes with a cost.

From The Daily Beast

Percy Heath, a merry fellow, specialized in leading the Reverend Professor Doctor astray and had a lot of fun with him.

From The Daily Beast

I find faculty learning about their specific, specialized research areas, but also about the wider society and natural world.

From The Daily Beast

One important characteristic of the communal animals is that they become mentally specialized.

From Project Gutenberg

Using his pen name, "Moina," he specialized in war lyrics which were soon memorized by Southerners in general.

From Project Gutenberg

He had built good buildings, but he specialized in repairs—in the upkeep of property—and he had many clients.

From Project Gutenberg

He had a touch of constructive genius, but lack of specialized training had forced him into the ranks of the pioneers.

From Project Gutenberg

Protruding ears may be encouraged to lie more flatly by the wearing of a specialized bonnet at night.

From Project Gutenberg