UNSPECIALIZED

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does unspecialized mean? 

• UNSPECIALIZED (adjective)
  The adjective UNSPECIALIZED has 1 sense:

1. not specialized or modified for a particular purpose or function

  Familiarity information: UNSPECIALIZED used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• UNSPECIALIZED (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Not specialized or modified for a particular purpose or function

Synonyms:

unspecialised; unspecialized

Similar:

generalised; generalized (not biologically differentiated or adapted to a specific function or environment)

Also:

general (applying to all or most members of a category or group)

Antonym:

specialized (developed or designed for a special activity or function)

 Context examples 

The process whereby an unspecialized embryonic cell acquires the features of a specialized cell such as a heart, liver, or muscle cell.

(Differentiation, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The process during which young, immature (unspecialized) cells take on individual characteristics and reach their mature (specialized) form and function.

(Cell differentiation, NCI Dictionary)

Glioblastomas grow aggressively from a mass of unspecialized cells; ZIKV is known to infect similar cells in the nervous systems of developing fetuses.

(Zika virus selectively infects and kills glioblastoma cells in mice, National Institutes of Health)

A Cell Differentiation Process in multicellular organisms consists of genetically controlled activities of biologic molecules, complexes, subcellular components, or cells involved in progressive restriction of cellular developmental potential in which immature (unspecialized) precursor cells become functionally and morphologically mature (specialized), leading to the formation of organs, tissues, and specialized cell types.

(Cell Differentiation Process, NCI Thesaurus)