specimen

American  

[spes-uh-muhn] / ˈspɛs ə mən /

noun

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.

---

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

---

Related Words

See example.

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

The wing patterns, front and back, are centered on individual sheets, themselves screen printed to create standardized forms for specimen information and further ornamented with spatter-printed reliefs of butterflies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

The specimen had even earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records, but scientists now say that distinction was based on a misinterpretation.

From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026

At first glance, the specimen looked typical for its age.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

"When we first found the specimen, we saw some leg bones preserved and some vertebrae," Jung said.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

I became increasingly aware that the man was staring at me, not impolitely, but as though he were studying an unknown specimen.

From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson

Related Words

• copy
• exhibit
• variety