Adjacent Words

specific definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: (sometimes followed by `to') applying to or characterized by or distinguishing something particular or special or unique; "rules with specific application"; "demands specific to the job"; "a specific and detailed account of the accident" [ant: general, nonspecific]
2: stated explicitly or in detail; "needed a specific amount"
3: relating to or distinguishing or constituting a taxonomic species; "specific characters"
4: being or affecting a disease produced by a particular microorganism or condition; used also of stains or dyes used in making microscope slides; "quinine is highly specific for malaria"; "a specific remedy"; "a specific stain is one having a specific affinity for particular structural elements" [ant: nonspecific] n
1: a fact about some part (as opposed to general); "he always reasons from the particular to the general" [syn: particular, specific] [ant: general]
2: a medicine that has a mitigating effect on a specific disease; "quinine is a specific for malaria"

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Late Latin specificus, from Latin species Date: circa 1631 1. a. constituting or falling into a specifiable category b. sharing or being those properties of something that allow it to be referred to a particular category 2. a. restricted to a particular individual, situation, relation, or effect <a disease specific to horses> b. exerting a distinctive influence (as on a body part or a disease) <specific antibodies> 3. free from ambiguity ; accurate <a specific statement of faith> 4. of, relating to, or constituting a species and especially a biological species 5. a. being any of various arbitrary physical constants and especially one relating a quantitative attribute to unit mass, volume, or area b. imposed at a fixed rate per unit (as of weight or count) <specific import duties> — compare ad valorem Synonyms: see special, explicit • specifically adverb II. noun Date: 1661 1. a. something peculiarly adapted to a purpose or use b. a drug or remedy having a specific mitigating effect on a disease <used as a specific against malaria> 2. a. a characteristic quality or trait b. details, particulars — usually used in plural <haggling over the legal and financial specifics of independence — Time> c. plural specification 2a

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. & n. --adj. 1 clearly defined; definite (has no specific name; told me so in specific terms). 2 relating to a particular subject; peculiar (a style specific to that). 3 a of or concerning a species (the specific name for a plant). b possessing, or concerned with, the properties that characterize a species (the specific forms of animals). 4 (of a duty or a tax) assessed by quantity or amount, not by the value of goods. --n. 1 archaic a specific medicine or remedy. 2 a specific aspect or factor (shall we discuss specifics?). Phrases and idioms: specific cause the cause of a particular form of a disease. specific difference a factor that differentiates a species. specific disease a disease caused by one identifiable agent. specific gravity = relative density. specific heat capacity the heat required to raise the temperature of the unit mass of a given substance by a given amount (usu. one degree). specific medicine a medicine having a distinct effect in curing a certain disease. specific performance Law the performance of a contractual duty, as ordered in cases where damages would not be adequate remedy. Derivatives: specifically adv. specificity n. specificness n. Etymology: LL specificus (as SPECIES)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Specific Spe*cif"ic, a. [F. sp['e]cifique, or NL. cpesificus; L. species a particular sort or kind + facere to make. Cf. Specify.] 1. Of or pertaining to a species; characterizing or constituting a species; possessing the peculiar property or properties of a thing which constitute its species, and distinguish it from other things; as, the specific form of an animal or a plant; the specific qualities of a drug; the specific distinction between virtue and vice. Specific difference is that primary attribute which distinguishes each species from one another. --I. Watts. 2. Specifying; definite, or making definite; limited; precise; discriminating; as, a specific statement. 3. (Med.) Exerting a peculiar influence over any part of the body; preventing or curing disease by a peculiar adaption, and not on general principles; as, quinine is a specific medicine in cases of malaria. In fact, all medicines will be found specific in the perfection of the science. --Coleridge. Specific character (Nat. Hist.), a characteristic or characteristics distinguishing one species from every other species of the same genus. Specific disease (Med.) (a) A disease which produces a determinate definite effect upon the blood and tissues or upon some special tissue. (b) A disease which is itself uniformly produced by a definite and peculiar poison or organism. Specific duty. (Com.) See under Duty. Specific gravity. (Physics) See under Gravity. Specific heat (Physics), the quantity of heat required to raise temperature of a body one degree, taking as the unit of measure the quantity required to raise the same weight of water from zero to one degree; thus, the specific heat of mercury is 0.033, that of water being 1.000. Specific inductive capacity (Physics), the effect of a dielectric body in producing static electric induction as compared with that of some other body or bodies referred to as a standard. Specific legacy (Law), a bequest of a particular thing, as of a particular animal or piece of furniture, specified and distinguished from all others. --Wharton. --Burrill. Specific name (Nat., Hist.), the name which, appended to the name of the genus, constitutes the distinctive name of the species; -- originally applied by Linn[ae]us to the essential character of the species, or the essential difference. The present specific name he at first called the trivial name. Specific performance (Law), the peformance of a contract or agreement as decreed by a court of equity.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Specific Spe*cif"ic, n. 1. (Med.) A specific remedy. See Specific, a., 3. His parents were weak enough to believe that the royal touch was a specific for this malady. --Macaulay. 2. Anything having peculiar adaption to the purpose to which it is applied. --Dr. H. More.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. You use specific to refer to a particular fixed area, problem, or subject. Massage may help to increase blood flow to specific areas of the body... There are several specific problems to be dealt with... ...the specific needs of the individual. = particular ADJ: ADJ n 2. If someone is specific, they give a description that is precise and exact. You can also use specific to describe their description. These nerve centres generate rhythmic movements; or to be more specific, rhythmic stomach movements... This report offered the most specific and accurate description of the problems. = precise ? vague ADJ • specificity ...the kind of extreme specificity normally associated only with computer programmes. N-UNCOUNT 3. Something that is specific to a particular thing is connected with that thing only. Send your resume with a cover letter that is specific to that particular job. = peculiar ADJ: usu v-link ADJ to n • Specific is also used after nouns. Most studies of trade have been country-specific. ...a job-specific course. COMB in ADJ

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. 1. Peculiar, particular, especial, characteristic. 2. Definite, precise, specified, limited.

Moby Thesaurus

absolute, aid, alterative, analeptic, assistance, balm, balsam, categorical, certain, characteristic, circumscribed, circumscript, classificational, classificatory, clean-cut, clear-cut, concrete, corrective, cure, defined, defining, definite, definitive, delimited, demarcated, denominative, detailed, determinate, determined, different, differential, distinct, distinctive, distinguished, divisional, divisionary, encircled, esoteric, especial, established, exact, exceptional, explicit, express, extraordinary, finicky, fixed, full, fussy, healing agent, healing quality, hedged about, help, indicated, individual, inner, intimate, limited, meticulous, minute, nice, noteworthy, ordinal, particular, peculiar, personal, picayune, precise, predetermined, prescription, private, proper to, receipt, recipe, relief, remedial measure, remedy, reserved, respective, restorative, restricted, set, several, singular, solipsistic, sovereign remedy, special, specialized, specific remedy, specified, stated, subdivisional, succor, sui generis, surrounded, taxonomic, the concrete, the individual, the particular, the special, the specific, the unique, typal, typical, unambiguous, unequivocal, well-defined