specialism

1 7.4

A particular area of study or work someone focuses on

noun
/ˈspɛʃəˌlɪzəm/

: especialidad

With almost 390,000 jobs in health and social care, the capital offers thousands of opportunities for practitioners, whatever their interest or specialism.

You need a whole group of people with different with different specialisms to think about.

Examples

However, once established within a healthcare professional's knowledge base, insulin management provides a rewarding specialism.

Academic text (2011)
The council provides regular training sessions to ensure they can work outside their area of specialism.

Academic text (2010)
Specialist support is important, such as from a senior member of the team who develops it as a specialism.

Academic text (2010)
A career structure enables people to advance within their functional specialism.

Blog text (2)
It takes time for someone to learn enough about each specialism to do good work that cuts across them.

Blog text (19)
I can discuss scientific background, though my specialism isn't virology.

Blog text (13)
But that needs to be followed up with a mandatory requirement of working through the post-qualifying awards so that people build real expertise in their specialism.

Academic text (2009)
She decided to pursue a master's degree in her chosen specialism of environmental science.
The university is well-known for its emphasis on academic specialism in engineering and technology.
His specialism in ancient history allowed him to secure a position at the museum.

Synonyms

field

vsspecialism

625 2.9

A particular area of study or work

is a narrower focused part of such broad areas or the practice of focusing

expertise

vsspecialism

297 4.9

Special skill or knowledge in one area, for example law

is the area of focus or the act of concentrating, not the person's skill

specialty

vsspecialism

207 4.3

An area of work or study that someone knows a lot about

emphasizes the act of focusing within that area rather than just the area

subject

vsspecialism

98 1.6

An area of knowledge studied at school or university

is the narrower focus or the process of concentrating within that area

specialization

vsspecialism

14 4.1

A particular area of work or study that someone focuses on

is about focusing on a particular area and practicing that focus

field of study

vsspecialism

9 3.0

A subject of learning like biology or history

is about narrowing study to one branch rather than merely naming it

subspecialty

vsspecialism

Specialized

2 6.9

A smaller, more focused area within a larger field of study or work

is the broader focused area rather than this narrow branch

subfield

vsspecialism

1 4.6

A smaller area of a subject that studies a specific topic

covers the wider area someone concentrates on rather than the smaller part

subject field

vsspecialism

1 3.6

An area of study at a school or university

is the general study area that one may choose to focus on

subdiscipline

vsspecialism

Specialized

1 7.0

A smaller area of study or work within a larger subject

represents the overall area or the practice of focusing within it

Antonyms

generalism

1 8.5

Having knowledge and skills in many different areas rather than one

How Specialized

subspecialty

Specialized

2 6.9

expertise

297 4.9

specialism

1 7.4

discipline

73 4.9

field

625 2.9

Surface Forms

specialism singular

specialisms plural

Morphology

specialism = special (semi-transparent) = special + ism

Formed from 'special' + '-ism'; the idea 'area or practice of specializing' requires knowing that '-ism' can mark a field or practice, so the relation is only partially obvious to learners.

Etymology

Specialism comes from special, meaning 'for a particular job or area', and the ending -ism, meaning 'a practice or system'. So, specialism is the practice of focusing on one particular area or subject.