specific heat

American  

noun

Physics.

1. the number of calories required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance 1°C, or the number of BTU's per pound per degree F.

2. (originally) the ratio of the thermal capacity of a substance to that of standard material.

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specific heat Scientific  

1. See under heat capacity

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specific heat Cultural  

1. The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance by one degree Celsius, or to raise the temperature of one pound of a substance by one degree Fahrenheit (see also Fahrenheit).

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Etymology

Origin of specific heat

First recorded in 1825–35

Compare meaning

How does specific-heat compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• heat capacity vs. specific heat

Example Sentences

The device includes specific features to thwart youth use and requires users to verify their age via a linked phone app.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

That material forms a disc around the star, which can be detected through specific features in its optical spectrum.

From Science Daily • Mar. 25, 2026

Up until now, ServiceNow has focused on small “tuck in” acquisitions, buying small startups for specific features or talent instead of their revenue streams.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 23, 2025

They created digital 3D models of each of the more than 600 skulls they examined - and compared specific features across ancient and modern dogs - and their wild relatives.

From BBC • Nov. 13, 2025

They were kind people with specific features, like a man with a blond beard, or a woman with a band of freckles across her nose and different-colored eyes.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri