specialty

noun

spe·​cial·​ty ˈspe-shəl-tē 

plural specialties

often attributive

1

: a distinctive mark or quality

2

a

: a special object or class of objects: such 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

Synonyms of specialty

• area
• department
• realm
• domain
• field
• element
• walk
• sphere

Examples of specialty in a Sentence

Buttermilk pie is a Southern specialty.

a doctor with a specialty in dermatology

Recent Examples on the Web

The British specialty brand Holliday & Brown, owned by the Italian silk specialist Mantero Group since 2002, is marking its 100th anniversary this year and has released a celebratory capsule collection inspired by the brand’s archives. — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026

Customers can choose from Korean-style short ribs, beef shank, whole fish on ice, a variety of shellfish, goat meat, silkie chickens, squab, woodland duckling and specialty pork cuts. — Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026

Naturally, the bathrooms are larger in the higher room categories and specialty suites. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Oct. 2026

Buyers and sellers flocked to specialty card shops and shows, where scores of entrepreneurial dealers hawked vintage and modern products. — Bob Woods, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English specialte, from Anglo-French especialté, from Late Latin specialitat-, specialitas, from Latin specialis special

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing specialty

• house specialty
• specialty of the house
• specialty shop
• sub-specialty

Rhymes for specialty

• subspecialty

Kids Definition

specialty

noun

spe·​cial·​ty ˈspesh-əl-tē 

plural specialties

1

: a product of a special kind or of special excellence

eggs were the cook's specialty

2

: something a person specializes in or has special knowledge of

Medical Definition

specialty

noun

spe·​cial·​ty ˈspesh-əl-tē 

plural specialties

: something (as a branch of medicine) in which one specializes

Legal Definition

specialty

noun

spe·​cial·​ty

plural specialties

1

[from the special form of the contract] : formal contract at contract

2

: a doctrine providing that a person extradited can be prosecuted only for the charges described in the order for extradition

3

: real property (as a parcel of land or especially a structure) that is of such specialized character that no market for it exists and for which value upon condemnation is determined by the cost of reproduction less depreciation

—used especially in New York