Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
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noun
The act or process of specializing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: British, English, Oxford, US, countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The area in which someone specializes.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: British, English, Oxford, US, countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The adaptation of an organism to a specific environment, or adaptation of an organ to a particular function.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: British, English, Oxford, US, countable, uncountable
Topics: biology, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A proof, axiom, problem, or definition whose cases are completely covered by another, broader concept.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: British, English, Oxford, US, countable, uncountable
Topics: mathematics, sciences
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
the special line of work you have adopted as your career
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: specialisation, specialty, speciality, specialism
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: career, calling, vocation
noun
the act of specializing; making something suitable for a special purpose
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: specialisation
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: change of state
noun
(biology) the structural adaptation of some body part for a particular function
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: specialisation, differentiation
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: adaptation, adaption, adjustment
History
Etymology tree English special Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English specialize Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English specialization From specialize + -ation.
Across languages
35 source translations are retained for this English entry.
