# speciality

/ˌspɛʃiˈæɫɪti/ (US) · /spˌɛʃɪˈælɪti/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/speciality
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

a subject, skill, or product that someone is an expert in or is famous for. You use this to describe the one thing a person or place does better than anything else.

For teachers: a pursuit, area of study, or product in which someone possesses particular expertise or which is characteristic of a specific place. Often refers to a signature dish in a culinary context.

## Examples

- The chef's speciality is homemade pasta.
- While the law firm handles many cases, their true speciality is international intellectual property rights.
- The region's primary speciality remains its hand-woven silk, a craft that has been refined over centuries and continues to drive the local export economy.

## Pitfalls

- Not "His specialty is on history" but "His speciality is history" — The noun is followed directly by the subject or linked with 'in' (speciality in history), but it does not take the preposition 'on'.

## Usage notes

- In British English, 'speciality' is the standard form; in American English, 'specialty' is preferred.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.