specialist English · revision 6793

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1836}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈspɛʃəlɪst/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[special]] and [[-ist]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) perhaps directly from [[fr|spécialiste]] (1842).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A person devoted to one branch of a profession, originally in medicine: 1843 in Etymonline, quoting ''The Lancet'' on the hostility of Paris surgeons to specialists;^(Etymonline) MWU has 1836 and the OED 1856.^(MWU 2024)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Etymonline notes that medical specialists were at first much scorned by general practitioners.^(Etymonline) The general sense, one who studies or works in one subject, is by 1862.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Later uses include a person with special training in Communist parlance (1929), a rank in the US Army (1955), a stock-exchange member who deals in particular stocks (1900),^(OED 1989) and in ecology a species adapted to a narrow habitat or diet (1966).^(OED 1989)^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1836 – first known use (MWU).^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1843 – a medical specialist.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1862 – in general use.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1955 – a US Army rank.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1966 – in ecology.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who concentrates on a particular field of study or work; an [[expert]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A doctor who practises in one branch of [[medicine]] or [[surgery]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A rank in the US Army for soldiers with technical skills.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(ecology)'' A [[species]] adapted to a narrow range of food or [[habitat]].^(OED 1989)^(AHD)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Having or needing special knowledge: ''specialist equipment''.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[specialistic]]

+ * [[nonspecialist]]

+ * [[payload specialist]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[specialize]]

+ * [[subspecialty]]

+ * [[subspecialist]]

+ * [[special]]

+ * [[specialty]]

+ * [[speciality]]

+ * [[species]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}