Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb chiefly British Alternative spelling of specialize.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb devote oneself to a special area of work
  • verb be specific about
  • verb evolve so as to lead to a new species or develop in a way most suited to the environment
  • verb suit to a special purpose
  • verb become more focus on an area of activity or field of study

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

special +‎ -ise

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Examples

  • It's a bit like schools that 'specialise' in things like IT or (god help us) sport.

    Diplomas to become 'the qualification of choice' Jonathan 2007

  • It's a bit like schools that 'specialise' in things like IT or (god help us) sport.

    Archive 2007-10-01 Jonathan 2007

  • The Centre 'specialise' in promoting pro Pakistan policies and protecting interest of Pakistan; and only invites those people to their functions who endorse their pro Pakistan policies.

    Countercurrents.org 2010

  • The Centre 'specialise' in promoting pro Pakistan policies and protecting interest of Pakistan; and only invites those people to their functions who endorse their pro Pakistan policies.

    Countercurrents.org 2010

  • Division of labour has set in, and groups of cells specialise in the performance of functions.

    The Kempton-Wace Letters 2010

  • The mother woman is legion, and you refuse to specialise.

    The Kempton-Wace Letters 2010

  • The bottom line is that businesses succeed when they specialise in something.

    New estimate puts health-care pricetag at $611 billion 2009

  • Foreign correspondents necessarily specialise in crises and disasters, but in my case, these often took the form of wars and armed conflicts.

    Henry’s Demons Patrick Cockburn 2011

  • Some argue that pupils at private schools and grammars are at an advantage because they have teachers who may specialise in building relationships with top universities and decoding universities' complex admission requirements.

    Universities admit 'soft' A-levels damage chance of top places 2011

  • Today, we are often expected to specialise and excel in only one particular field of knowledge or expertise, even one particular area of a field.

    Web Teacher › Ada Lovelace Day: Stephanie Troeth 2009

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