specimen

American  

[spes-uh-muhn] / ˈspɛs ə mən /

noun

• specimens
  plural

1. a part or an individual taken as exemplifying a whole mass or number; a typical animal, plant, mineral, part, etc.

   Synonyms:

   pattern, model, type

2. (in medicine, microbiology, etc.) a sample of a substance or material for examination or study.

   a urine specimen; a tissue specimen.

3. a particular or peculiar kind of person.

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specimen British  

/ ˈspɛsɪmɪn /

noun

1. 1. an individual, object, or part regarded as typical of the group or class to which it belongs

   2. ( as modifier )

      a specimen signature

      a specimen page

2. med a sample of tissue, blood, urine, etc, taken for diagnostic examination or evaluation

3. the whole or a part of an organism, plant, rock, etc, collected and preserved as an example of its class, species, etc

4. informal a person

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Synonym Usage

See example.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• specimens
  plural

Etymology

Origin of specimen

1600–10; < Latin: mark, example, indication, sign, equivalent to speci-, stem of specere to look, regard + -men noun suffix denoting result or means

Explanation

A specimen is a sample of something, like a specimen of blood or body tissue that is taken for medical testing. The noun specimen comes from the Latin word specere, meaning “to look.” Biologists collect specimens so they can get a better look at something to study it. The idea is that, with a good specimen, you can learn about an entire group: it's a good representation. That meaning is echoed in the slang use of specimen, a strong, healthy and attractive person.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

specimen specimens

Its unusual scientific importance became apparent when crinoid specialists Drs. Cole and Wright examined the specimen closely during a research visit.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026

The British record was set in Whitby by a 386kg specimen in 1933.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

Preparations for a new museum building and permanent galleries scheduled to open in 2027 gave researchers an unusual chance to study the specimen in greater detail using high-resolution CT scanning.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026

At first glance, he thought he was looking at a specimen that had been sick or injured rather than a new species.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

“Moss, where did you find this fine specimen of a man?”

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro

Using formaldehyde, a colourless chemical used for preserving biological specimens that is known to cause cancer, for keeping food fresh is strictly prohibited in China.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

Among the key specimens on display is a miniature model of a Crystal Palace dinosaur, alongside other objects that show how early scientists and artists understood the prehistoric world.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026

Then there’s the more nefarious activities – I’ve heard of researchers deliberately moving specimens to make them hard to find so other researchers cannot examine them, and occasionally things are stolen from collections.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026

Earlier, a number of specimens, including parts of the early dinosaur Thecodontosaurus, were destroyed in Bristol after an Axis raid in 1940.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026

Besides, these colorful compositions of insects and plants were much more artistically pleasing than Goedart’s rows of specimens on a white background.

From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman

Related Words

• copy
• exhibit
• variety