specific name

American  

[spi-sif-ik neym] / spɪˈsɪf ɪk ˈneɪm /

noun

Zoology.

1. (inbinomial 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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Etymology

Origin of specific name

First recorded in 1750–55

Example Sentences

“When the concentration gets very high, there is a lot more scrutiny on that specific name or sector,” he says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 1, 2025

Inspired by its resemblance to San, they chose "sanae" for the specific name as a tribute.

From BBC • Feb. 11, 2025

In concrete terms, that could mean identifying all the users who search for a specific name or address — or in a scenario that has caused anxiety recently, everyone who searches for “abortion drugs.”

From The Verge • Jul. 1, 2022

For only one other player did the 49,184 inside Coors Field make an exception, roaring to life at the announcement of one more specific name.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 14, 2021

Most of the doctors at that first meeting felt they did not know enough about the illness to give it a specific name.

From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy