specialist
/ˈspeʃəlɪst/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈspeʃəlɪst/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈspe-sh(ə-)list/ (ame, mw) · /ˈspeʃ.əl.ɪst/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈspeʃ.əl.ɪst/ (ame, ipa)
specialist — noun
1. a person who has mastered a single field of work, study, or activity after spend
a person who has mastered a single field of work, study, or activity after spending many years training or doing it.
Amira is a specialist in ancient Japanese pottery who works at the local museum.
specialist in + field of expertise
The firm hired a marketing specialist to help sell its new line of bicycles.
Walid asked a computer-security specialist to check his office network for problems.
Beatrix trained as a specialist in childhood education before opening her own school.
- expert
more general term; does not necessarily imply formal training
- authority
stronger; suggests the person is a recognized source of reliable information on the topic
- professional
broader; refers to anyone paid for an activity, not necessarily an expert
- amateur
someone who does an activity for pleasure, not as a job
- generalist
someone with broad but shallow knowledge across many fields
文法句型
specialist + in + noun phrase
用法筆記
Followed by in to name the field of expertise. Less commonly used with at for specific skills (a specialist at repairing old clocks).
常見錯誤
2. a medical doctor who treats only one type of health problem or one part of the b
a medical doctor who treats only one type of health problem or one part of the body — for example, skin conditions, heart disease, or children's illnesses.
Dr. Vikram is a heart specialist who has treated more than a thousand patients.
heart specialist — body-part + specialist
Aoi's family doctor sent her to a skin specialist after the rash did not go away.
see/send + to + a specialist
The hospital hired a new specialist to lead its children's cancer unit.
Meera visits a lung specialist every three months to check her breathing.
- consultant
common in British English; refers to a senior hospital doctor who is a specialist
- physician
general term for a medical doctor, not necessarily a specialist
- general practitioner
a family doctor who treats all kinds of health problems and refers patients to specialists
文法句型
[body part / disease] + specialist
用法筆記
When naming the area of medicine, the name of the body part or disease comes before specialist (eye specialist, cancer specialist). To see a specialist usually requires a referral from a general doctor (GP) in many countries.
常見錯誤
specialist — adjective
1. possessing or showing in-depth understanding of one particular subject or activi
possessing or showing in-depth understanding of one particular subject or activity — for example, specialist legal advice or specialist training in software development.
The team asked for specialist advice on repairing the old stone bridge.
specialist advice / specialist opinion
Sven gave a specialist talk about how sea birds find their way across the ocean.
Kasia took a specialist course in modern Chinese literature at the university.
Indra prepared a specialist report on water quality for the city council.
- expert
can be used in the same attributive position (expert advice), but also works predicatively (She is expert)
- professional
broader; emphasizes that something meets the standards of a paid occupation
文法句型
specialist + abstract noun
用法筆記
Used only before a noun (attributive position), never after a linking verb. You can say a specialist report but not The report is specialist.
常見錯誤
2. created or intended for a single subject, product, or kind of work rather than c
created or intended for a single subject, product, or kind of work rather than covering many different kinds at once.
This small shop sells specialist equipment for mountain climbing and camping.
specialist equipment for [activity]
The library has a specialist section for students who study law and government.
Ramón runs a specialist company that builds wooden fishing boats by hand.
Mira ordered specialist soil for growing orchids from a local garden supplier.
- specialized
more common in modern English; used in the same positions (specialized equipment)
- niche
used mainly in business contexts; suggests a very small, specific market
文法句型
specialist + concrete noun (equipment, shop, company)
用法筆記
Like sense 1, this adjective goes only before a noun. It often describes businesses, products, or sections that serve a narrow market. A specialist shop for dog owners, for example, sells only pet-related goods, not general merchandise.