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

McDonnell has years of organizational charts in his office, and the number of people on the commanders’ chart has grown with more specialized responsibilities.

From Los Angeles Times

Nvidia: Energy-intensive Bitcoin mining requires the types of processors that Nvidia has specialized in from the beginning—an early specialty that’s helped it to become a multitrillion-dollar company in the age of energy-intensive A.I. training.

From Slate

School districts may use entrance criteria for specialized schools or programs, state code says, “if the criteria are uniformly applied to all applicants.”

From Los Angeles Times

Unified spokesperson previously said the planned changes were part of a years-long effort to centralize the application process for specialized academic programs on its Choices site, ensuring greater equity, visibility and access.

From Los Angeles Times

In the meantime, families are applying for specialized programs, even as the district changes the rules of the game.

From Los Angeles Times