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

Any analysis that requires drilling or removing part of a specimen permanently alters an object that cannot be replaced.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026

The early version of the method required more fossil material than a museum would reasonably sacrifice from such an important and irreplaceable specimen.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026

The specimen is also among the most complete diplodocid skeletons ever uncovered in Europe.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026

He studied sweat ducts—healthy ones and his own—and discovered that in a CF specimen the sodium and the chloride that make up salt were not re-integrating after being processed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

In all, Edward Tulane felt himself to be an exceptional specimen.

From "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" by Kate DiCamillo

Health Minister Roma Chilengi said earlier this week that clauses requiring Zambia to send biological specimens to the US had been removed, and that the agreement would not allow the sharing of individual patient records.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

Ghana and Zimbabwe have rejected agreements over conditions about sharing data and specimens.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

Museum paleontologists excavated some 70% of Thomas’s fossilized skeleton in the early 2000s, making it one of the most complete T. rex specimens ever found.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

CT scanning those specimens may give researchers a new way to study feathers, diets, predator relationships, and other details of prehistoric ecosystems.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 11, 2026

Clearly, none of these noble specimens was likely to make an appearance at the nursery window.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• copy
• exhibit
• variety