specialization

English

Alternative forms

specialisation (non-Oxford British spelling)

Etymology

From specialize +‎ -ation.

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key):
(General American, Canada) IPA^(key):
(General Australian) IPA^(key):
(New Zealand) IPA^(key):
Rhymes: -eɪʃən
Hyphenation: spe‧cial‧i‧za‧tion

Noun

specialization (countable and uncountable, plural specializations)

The act or process of specializing.
- 1973, Robert A. Heinlein, Time Enough For Love:
  A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.
The area in which someone specializes.
- 2012, Glenn M. Wong, The Comprehensive Guide to Careers in Sports, Jones & Bartlett Publishers, →ISBN, page 35:
  Many MBA programs now allow students to obtain a specialization in sport management. This differs from the joint degree programs in that only one degree, an MBA, is awarded (i.e., a separate master's degree in sport management is not awarded). The MBA with a sport management specialization should be considered as a second option in lieu of the joint degree.
(biology) The adaptation of an organism to a specific environment, or adaptation of an organ to a particular function.
- 2012, O. A. Jones, Biology and Geology of Coral Reefs V2: Biology 1, Elsevier, →ISBN, page 248:
  Specialization is frequently divided into two categories largely based on methods of study: food specialization and specialization with respect to microhabitat.
(mathematics) A proof, axiom, problem, or definition whose cases are completely covered by another, broader concept.
A triangle is a specialization of a polygon to one with exactly three sides.