specialize

American  

[spesh-uh-lahyz] / ˈspɛʃ əˌlaɪz /

especially British, specialise

verb (used without object)

specialized, specializing

1. to pursue some special line of study, work, etc.; have a specialty.

   The doctor specializes in gastroenterology.

2. Biology. (of an organism or one of its organs) to be adapted to a special function or environment.

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verb (used with object)

specialized, specializing

1. to render special or specific; invest with a special character, function, etc.

2. to adapt to special conditions; restrict to specific limits.

3. to restrict payment of (a negotiable instrument) by endorsing over to a specific payee.

4. to specify; particularize.

specialize British  

/ ˈspɛʃəˌlaɪz /

verb

1. (intr) to train in or devote oneself to a particular area of study, occupation, or activity

2. (usually passive) to cause (organisms or their parts) to develop in a way most suited to a particular environment or way of life or (of organisms, etc) to develop in this way

3. (tr) to modify or make suitable for a special use or purpose

4. (tr) to mention specifically; specify

5. (tr) to endorse (a commercial paper) to a specific payee

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Other Word Forms

• nonspecializing adjective
• overspecialize verb
• prespecialize verb (used without object)
• specialization noun
• subspecialize verb
• superspecialize verb (used without object)
• unspecializing adjective

Etymology

Origin of specialize

From the French word spécialiser, dating back to 1605–15; special, -ize

Explanation

To specialize is to narrow down your focus, in your studies or profession, to a specific field. If you love playing the accordion, perhaps you should specialize in polka music. If there’s a subject you think is special, specialize in it! For example, doctors start to specialize in medical school, when they study something specific such as podiatry (feet) or cardiology (hearts). Other professionals also specialize in smaller parts of larger fields, like lawyers who specialize in corporate law, or writers who specialize in TV comedies.

Example Sentences

That, in turn, has led to sharp falls in the shares of publicly traded managers that specialize in such alternative assets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

In typical development, connections between these networks tend to decrease over time, allowing the brain to specialize.

From Science Daily • Apr. 9, 2026

Those are the kinds of systems neo-primes such as Saronic and Mach specialize in.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

Some institutes specialize in the mental-health and trauma-work applications of body-based awareness, while other courses are geared for life coaches and movement instructors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

“No more than most universities, I suppose. Of course, we do specialize in one or two areas, and that brings interested scholars from quite some distance. Not only scholars either.”

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman

Related Words

• train