Adjacent Words

Specialty definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SPECIALTY, n.
1. Particularity. specialty of rule hat been neglected.
2. A particular or peculiar case. Note. This word is now little used in the senses above. Its common acceptation is,
3. A special contract; an obligation or bond; the evidence of a debt by deed or instrument under seal. Such a debt is called a debt by specialty, in distinction from simple contract.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: an asset of special worth or utility; "cooking is his forte" [syn: forte, strong suit, long suit, metier, specialty, speciality, strong point, strength] [ant: weak point]
2: a distinguishing trait [syn: peculiarity, specialness, specialty, speciality, distinctiveness]
3: the special line of work you have adopted as your career; "his specialization is gastroenterology" [syn: specialization, specialisation, specialty, speciality, specialism]

Merriam Webster's

noun (plural -ties) Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English specialte, from Anglo-French especialté, from Late Latin specialitat-, specialitas, from Latin specialis special Date: 15th century 1. a distinctive mark or quality 2. a. a special object or class of objects: as (1) a legal agreement embodied in a sealed instrument (2) a product of a special kind or of special excellence <fried chicken is my specialty> b. the state of being special, distinctive, or peculiar 3. something in which one specializes

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. (pl. -ies) 1 esp. US = SPECIALITY. 2 Law an instrument under seal; a sealed contract. Etymology: ME f. OF (e)specialté (as SPECIAL)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Specialty Spe"cial*ty, n.; pl. Specialties. [F. sp['e]cialit['e]. Cf. Speciality.] 1. Particularity. Specialty of rule hath been neglected. --Shak. 2. A particular or peculiar case. [Obs.] 3. (Law) A contract or obligation under seal; a contract by deed; a writing, under seal, given as security for a debt particularly specified. --Chitty. --Bouvier. --Wharton (Law Dict.). Let specialties be therefore drawn between us. --Shak. 4. That for which a person is distinguished, in which he is specially versed, or which he makes an object of special attention; a speciality. Men of boundless knowledge, like Humbold, must have had once their specialty, their pet subject. --C. Kingsley.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(specialties) 1. Someone's specialty is a particular type of work that they do most or do best, or a subject that they know a lot about. (AM; in BRIT, use speciality) His specialty is international law... N-COUNT 2. A specialty of a particular place is a special food or product that is always very good there. (AM; in BRIT, use speciality) ...seafood, paella, empanadas and other specialties. N-COUNT

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. See speciality.

Moby Thesaurus

academic discipline, academic specialty, adjunct, applied science, appurtenance, area, arena, aroma, arrangement, art, aspect, attribute, badge, bond, brand, business, cachet, calling, career, career building, careerism, cast, character, characteristic, circumstance, classical education, component, concern, configuration, constituent, contents, contract by deed, contract of record, contract quasi, core curriculum, course, course of study, covenant of indemnity, craft, curriculum, cut, debenture, debenture bond, deed, deed of trust, deed poll, definiteness, department of knowledge, detail, differentia, differential, discipline, distinctive feature, domain, earmark, elective, element, factor, feature, field, field of inquiry, field of study, figure, fixings, flavor, formal contract, game, general education, general studies, group policy, gust, hallmark, handicraft, humanities, idiocrasy, idiosyncrasy, implied contract, impress, impression, indent, indenture, index, individualism, ingredient, insurance policy, integrant, item, keynote, liberal arts, lifework, line, line of business, line of work, lineaments, major, makings, mannerism, mark, marking, metier, minor, mission, mold, mortgage deed, mystery, natural science, nature, number, occupation, odor, ology, parol contract, part, part and parcel, particularity, peculiarity, policy, practice, profession, promissory note, property, proseminar, province, pure science, pursuit, quadrivium, quality, quirk, racket, recognizance, refresher course, savor, science, scientific education, seal, seminar, shape, singularity, smack, social science, special case, special contract, speciality, specialization, specialness, specialty contract, specificality, specificness, sphere, stamp, study, subdiscipline, subject, taint, tang, taste, technical education, technicology, technics, technology, title deed, token, trade, trait, trick, trivium, vocation, walk, walk of life, work