[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/specialise/)

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# specialise

verb (specialise, specialises, specialised, specialising; US: specialize)

«specialise» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To specialise is to study or work mainly on one subject or skill and become an expert in it: she specialises in heart surgery. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/specialise/#m1)
2. A shop or business that specialises in something mainly sells or does that one thing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/specialise/#m2)

### In the lessons

Everyday life and jobs: doctors specialise (a vet might specialise in horses); shops specialise in shoes or comics. Science: cells specialise, which means they become a special type (nerve cells, muscle cells) to do one job. Phrase: «specialise in».

### Examples

- My aunt is a doctor who specialises in children's illnesses. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/specialise/#x1)
- This shop specialises in Lego. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/specialise/#x2)
- Later at university you can specialise in maths. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/specialise/#x3)
- Some cells specialise to carry oxygen. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/specialise/#x4)
- The team specialises in rescues on mountains. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/specialise/#x5)
- He wants to specialise in dinosaur bones. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/specialise/#x6)

### Note

UK, Australia, NZ, Ireland: specialise; USA and often Canada: specialize. Always «specialise in», not «specialise on». Noun: specialist, specialism; specialisation.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «specialise» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/specialise/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«specialise» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/specialise.html) on Mova free.