de-specialisation
|de - spe - cial - i - sa - tion|
🇺🇸
/ˌdiːˌspɛʃəˈlaɪzeɪʃən/
🇬🇧
/ˌdiːˌspɛʃəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/
undo specialization
Etymology
'de-specialisation' is formed from the prefix 'de-' (from Latin 'dē-', meaning 'off, away, reverse') + 'specialisation' (from French 'spécialisation' or Late Latin 'specialis' meaning 'particular, individual').
'specialis' (Latin) → Old French 'especial'/'special' → Middle English 'special' → Modern English 'special' and 'specialise/specialize'; adding the suffix '-ation' produced 'specialisation'; prefixing with 'de-' produced 'de-specialisation' to indicate reversal.
Originally elements meant 'particular' (special-) and 'to make' (-ise/-ize); with the prefix 'de-' the compound came to mean 'the reversal or removal of making something specialized', i.e., making things less specialized.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the process or policy of reducing or reversing specialisation; making roles, services, or systems less specialised so that individuals or units perform a broader range of tasks.
The hospital's de-specialisation programme trains staff to manage a wider variety of conditions.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/29 17:35