specialty
/ˈspɛʃ.əl.ti/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.89 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
That in which one specializes; a chosen expertise or talent; bailiwick.
Australian usage; Canadian usage; American usage
noun
A product that originates in and is characteristic of a place.
Australian usage; Canadian usage; American usage
noun
An attribute or quality peculiar to a species.
Australian usage; Canadian usage; American usage
noun
A contract or obligation under seal; a contract by deed; a writing, under seal, given as security for a debt particularly specified.
Australian usage; Canadian usage; American usage
Example Sentences
- "Near-synonym: discipline"
- "medical specialty"
- "academic specialty"
- "They cook well overall, but their true specialty is pasta."
- "The doctor ordered a consultation with another doctor in a different specialty."
- "Even men of boundless knowledge, like Humboldt, must have had once their speciality, their pet subject, or they would have, strictly speaking, no knowledge at all."
Etymology
From Middle English specialte, Old French specialte, especialte, from Latin specialitas.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: specialte, specialitas
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈspɛʃ.əl.ti/