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specific name

[ spi-sif-ik neym ]
/ spɪˈsɪf ɪk ˈneɪm /
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noun Zoology.
(in binomial nomenclature) the second part, always lowercased, of an animal species’ scientific name, but not applicable to plant species: for example, the species Sciurus carolinensis is a squirrel, as all squirrels belong to the genus Sciurus, but it is the specific name carolinensis that identifies the particular species, which is the eastern gray squirrel.
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Also called specific epithet .

Origin of specific name

First recorded in 1750–55
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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