specialization

[ spesh-uh-luh-zey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of specializing, or pursuing a particular line of study or work:

   Medical students with high student loans often feel driven into specialization.

2. Biology. the adaptation of an organism or organ to a special function or environment:

   Basic biology suggests the selective pressures leading to convergent evolutionary specialization among desert-dwelling species.

3. the act of being restricted to some specific, or the act of becoming specialized.

Other Words From

• de·special·i·zation noun
• nonspe·cial·i·zation noun
• subspe·cial·i·zation noun
• super·special·i·zation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of specialization¹

specializ(e) + -ation

Example Sentences

The L.A. native grew up in Boyle Heights, earned a double bachelor’s degree in history and Chicano studies with a specialization in education in 2001 from UCLA.

From Los Angeles Times

What brewers have dubbed the “craft beer revolution” is characterized by its sophistication and specialization; craft brewers have traditionally produced a dizzying array of brands and styles, moving the market toward “bigger” – meaning bolder, stronger – brews.

From Salon

The two electrochemical reactors work in series -- first converting CO2 to CO, then CO to multi-carbon products -- which allows the system to be more efficient through task specialization.

From Science Daily

The atlas is an important new resource in understanding brain development, neuron specialization and other brain functions.

From Science Daily

That kind of specialization can ultimately “help philanthropy listen better” to grantees and their causes, says Enright.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• activity
• art
• duty
• employment
• endeavor
• industry
• job
• office
• practice
• responsibility
• skill
• task
• thing
• trade