Also 5 -itee, 5–6 -ite, 7 -allitye. [ad. OF. especialité ESPECIALITY (later specialité, mod.F. spécialité) or late and med.L. speciālitās, f. speciālis SPECIAL a. Cf. It. spec-, spezialità, Sp. especialidad, Pg. -idade.]
1. A special, particular or individual point, matter or item; freq. pl., particulars, details.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), I. 27. Till hit be commen to Breteyne the last prouince, as vn to a specialite moste specialle for whom [t]his present storye was made.
1513. in Halliwell, Lett. Kings Eng. (1846), I. 216. After rehearsal and accumulation of many surmises, injuries, griefs, and damages…, the specialities whereof were superfluous to rehearse.
1560. Inchaffray Charters (S.H.S.), 167. Providing that the specialite heirin expremit mak nocht dirogatioun to the generalite.
1581. Sidney, Apol. Poetrie (Arb.), 31. The generalities that contayneth it, and the specialities that are deriued from it.
a. 1600. Edmonds, Observ. Cæsar’s Comm., 47. This last Commentarie containeth the specialities of the warre which Cæsar made against all the States of Gallia.
1624. in Cosin’s Corr. (Surtees), I. 37. These speciallityes I desire, if the thing be printed, may be left out.
1719. Waterland, Vind. Christ’s Div., xxi. 323. The περιχωρησις and interior Generation, are two specialities taught by the Catholicks.
1865. Mill, Comte, 159. A practical position … chains the mind to specialities and details.
1867. Ruskin, Time & Tide (1872), 5. Yonder sad letter warped me away from the broad inquiry, to this speciality, respecting the present distress of the middle classes.
2. The quality of being special, limited or restricted in some respect (occasionally implying particularity of application or treatment). † In speciality, in detail. † But speciality, without partiality or favor.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 1. The ferde [part shall be] of bataillis in specialitee. Ibid., 99. Here he spekis of armes and baneris in specialitee.
1493. Sc. Acts, Jas. IV. (1814), II. 233/1. A … Juge quhilk sall minister justice to all parteis but specialitie.
1576. Fleming, trans. Caius’ Dogs (1880), 5. Of a singuler specialitie they deserued to bee called … bloudhounds.
1617. Ussher, Lett. (1686), 48. Neither doth the speciality of the one any ways abridge the generality of the other.
1619. W. Sclater, Exp. 2 Thess. (1629), 304. Distinguish ye twixt speciality of loue, and partiality.
1657. J. Sergeant, Schism Dispach’t, 137. This Particularity then, and speciality of schismatical guilt,… makes a man in a … more special manner faulty.
1829. I. Taylor, Enthus., iv. (1867), 99. With a completeness and speciality of coincidence.
1847. Grote, Greece, II. xi. III. 181. Some of them are mere general and vague directions, while others again run into the extreme of speciality.
1872. J. G. Murphy, Comm., Lev. vi. 12–16, 88. In the general ordinances … it would have been out of place because of its speciality.
† b. Technical usage. Obs.–1
1657. Heylin, Ecclesia Vind., 105. The word so used … became in fine a word of Art or speciality, amongst the writers of the new [Testament].
c. In speciality, especially, particularly.
1867. Ruskin, Time & Tide, v. § 23. There were, in speciality, two thoroughly good pantomime actors.
d. Biol. Special development or adaptation to surroundings.
1880. A. R. Wallace, Island Life, 100. The comparative poverty and speciality of their animals. Ibid., 323. Cause of Great Speciality in Fishes.
3. A special or distinctive quality, property, characteristic or feature; a peculiarity.
1625. Purchas, Pilgrims, II. 1380, margin. The specialities of Horeb.
1794. J. Hutton, Philos. Light, 182. But, there must be specialities in the case,… and, these specialities may form a proper subject for investigation.
1844. Dickens, Mart. Chuz., lii. Think of this, Sir,… apart from the specialities … of prejudice.
1868. Visct. Strangford, Selections (1869), II. 259. The Doctor’s Khivan Mollah … will be but an uncertain guide to the specialities of Yarkandi Turkish.
1881. Nature, No. 627. 4. There is a wonderful similarity between all the chief tribes…, though there are many specialities in habits.
b. With the: The distinctive quality, etc., of a particular thing or class.
1829. Jas. Mill, Hum. Mind (1869), II. 40. The special nature of that group or series … constitutes the speciality of the relation predicated.
1855. Bain, Senses & Int., II. ii. § 8. The speciality of the pleasures of light is their endurableness.
1882. Miss Cobbe, Peak in Darien, 35. It is the speciality of all vice to be selfishly indifferent to the injurious consequences of our actions.
4. Law. a. = SPECIALTY 7.
1681. Brasenose Coll. Doc. M2 56. Leases, Chattells and Specialities wherein I have any estate.
1704. J. Harris, Lex. Techn., I. Speciality, in Law, is most commonly taken for a Bond, or Bill, or such like Instrument.
1756. Garrick, Cath. & Petrucio, I. i. Let specialities be therefore drawn between us, That cov’nants may be kept on either hand.
b. A special warrant; also, the officer charged with executing this.
1815. Ann. Reg., Chron., 9. James O’Sullivan,… with a speciality from the sheriff, proceeded to his estate … Mr. H., having fired in through a window at the speciality and those on the inside, they quickly returned the fire.
5. A special aptitude, skill, occupation, or line of business.
1867. Ruskin, Time & Tide, i. § 3. Every nation is fitted … for some particular employments or manufactures; and … it is the true interest of every other nation to encourage it in such speciality.
1879. Miss Braddon, Cloven Foot, III. xiv. 263. It was made by a man who had a speciality for these things.
1886. C. E. Pascoe, London of To-day, xxxix. (ed. 3), 333. This gentleman’s speciality [as a bookseller] lies in the department of theology.
1892. Photogr. Ann., II. 705. Who make a speciality of publishing maps prepared for cyclists.
b. A special subject of study or research; that branch of scholarly, scientific or professional work in which one is a specialist.
1858. Kingsley, Misc. (1859), I. 140. Even men of boundless knowledge … must have had once their speciality, their pet subject.
1867. Mgr. Patterson, in Manning, Ess. Relig. & Lit., Ser. II. 491. Let us … suppose the writer in question to have a speciality; let us suppose him to be a Catholic theological writer.
1880. J. W. Sherer, Conjuror’s Dau., 111. Mr. Cowley … was acquainted with most of the sciences, but his speciality was Entomology.
c. A thing or article specially characteristic of, produced or manufactured by, a particular place, business firm, etc. (Cf. SPECIALTY 8.)
In this sense the F. form spécialité is frequently employed.
1863. Dickens, Lett. (1880), II. 191. The romantic drama … is the speciality of your theatre.
1863. Sir W. Holmes, Rep., in Veness, El Dorado (1866), App. 158. Indeed, rum seems a sort of ‘speciality’ of that island [Jamaica].
1892. Photogr. Ann., II. 529. The Optical Lantern trade is somewhat different to photography as regards specialities. In the main, most dealers content themselves with selling goods that are not specially their own.
6. A thing or article of a special kind, as distinguished from what is usual or common.
1867. Latham, Black & White, 84. One is for the routine cooking, which is always the same; the other is for the preparation of the specialities of each day’s diet.
1880. Plain Hints Needlework, 13. Where special materials are insisted on, specimens of these specialities should be at hand for reference.
