specific

[spi-sif-ik]

adjective

1. having a special application, bearing, or reference; specifying, explicit, or definite.

   to state one's specific purpose.

2. specified, precise, or particular.

   a specific sum of money.

   Antonyms: vague

3. peculiar or proper to somebody or something, as qualities, characteristics, effects, etc..

   His specific problems got him into trouble.

4. of a special or particular kind.

5. concerned specifically with the item or subject named (used in combination).

   The Secretary addressed himself to crop-specific problems.

6. Biology.,  of or relating to a species.

   specific characters.

7. Medicine/Medical.

   1. (of a disease) produced by a special cause or infection.

   2. (of a remedy) having special effect in the prevention or cure of a certain disease.

8. Immunology.,  (of an antibody or antigen) having a particular effect on only one antibody or antigen or affecting it in only one way.

9. Commerce.,  noting customs or duties levied in fixed amounts per unit, as number, weight, or volume.

10. Physics.

    1. designating a physical constant that, for a particular substance, is expressed as the ratio of the quantity in the substance to the quantity in an equal volume of a standard substance, as water or air.

    2. designating a physical constant that expresses a property or effect as a quantity per unit length, area, volume, or mass.

noun

1. something specific, as a statement, quality, detail, etc.

2. Medicine/Medical.,  a specific remedy.

   There is no specific for the common cold.

specific

/ spɪˈsɪfɪk, ˌspɛsɪˈfɪsɪtɪ /

adjective

1. explicit, particular, or definite

   please be more specific

2. relating to a specified or particular thing

   a specific treatment for arthritis

3. of or relating to a biological species

   specific differences

4. (of a disease) caused by a particular pathogenic agent

5. physics

   1. characteristic of a property of a particular substance, esp in relation to the same property of a standard reference substance

      specific gravity

   2. characteristic of a property of a particular substance per unit mass, length, area, volume, etc

      specific heat

   3. (of an extensive physical quantity) divided by mass

      specific heat capacity

      specific volume

6. Also (rare): specifical. commerce denoting a tariff levied at a fixed sum per unit of weight, quantity, volume, etc, irrespective of value

noun

1. (sometimes plural) a designated quality, thing, etc

2. med any drug used to treat a particular disease

Other Word Forms

• specifically adverb
• nonspecifically adverb
• prespecific adjective
• prespecifically adverb
• unspecific adjective
• unspecifically adverb
• specificity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of specific¹

First recorded in 1625–35; from Medieval Latin specificus, equivalent to Latin speci(ēs) species + -ficus -fic

Word History and Origins

Origin of specific¹

C17: from Medieval Latin specificus, from Latin _species

Synonym Study

See special.

Example Sentences

Rather than keep them all anyway, he held onto specific baubles for their daughters.

From BBC

Seal Beach City Manager Patrick Gallegos said in an email that the city has not yet been served with the complaint and isn’t able to comment on the specifics of the pending litigation.

From Los Angeles Times

The organisation has not revealed specific locations in North Yorkshire where the rare fungi were discovered.

From BBC

To obtain it, R360 will need to comply with rules about releasing players to play for their countries in specific international windows throughout the year.

From BBC

These plans are a blatant violation of the Posse Comitatus Act, which bans the use of the country’s military for domestic law enforcement in all but the most specific and extreme circumstances.

From Salon

Related Words

• clear-cut 
• definite 
• definitive 
• different 
• distinct 
• exact 
• explicit 
• individual 
• limited 
• peculiar 
• precise 
• special 
• specialized 
• unambiguous 
• unequivocal 
• unique