Especialidad

Especialidad is a Spanish noun that denotes a particular area of expertise, knowledge, or skill, or a dish that a restaurant is renowned for. It comes from especial + -idad and is used in Spain and Latin America to refer to a specialization within a discipline or to a signature item in cuisine.

In education and professions, the word describes a field of study within a degree or a professional subspecialization, such as una especialidad médica (medical specialty) or una especialidad en derecho. It can also indicate a practice focus within a broader field, for example, una especialidad en inteligencia artificial. In everyday language, people say “mi especialidad es…” to state their area of expertise.

Culinary usage often appears in the expression “la especialidad de la casa,” which refers to the house specialty—a dish that a restaurant is known for. The term can also denote a regional or traditional dish that characterizes a cuisine or establishment.

Related terms include especialización, which denotes the act or process of specializing, and campo de especialidad or área de concentración, which refer to a field or domain within a discipline. The word has cognates in other Spanish-speaking regions and English equivalents such as specialty, specialisation, or special dish. The plural especialidades is used when listing multiple areas or dishes.