Where does “specialist” come from?

Specialist comes from French spécialiste, a derivative of spécial meaning devoted to a particular subject or pursuit.

specialist (English): Specialised; Someone who is an expert in, or...

Definitions

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	French	spécialiste	specialist
2	Latin	specialis	specific
3	Latin	speciēs	—
4	Latin	speciō	—
5	Proto-Italic	spekjō	to observe, to see
6	Proto-Indo-European	spéḱyeti	to be looking at, to keep looking at
7	Proto-Indo-European	speḱ-	to see, to look, to observe

specialist — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer