Link Centre Dictionary

specific

spe·ci·fic

UK/spɪˈsɪf.ɪk/ US/spɪˈsɪf.ɪk/ common
adjective (4) noun (2)

adjective

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”
Antonyms
Similar
2.

stated explicitly or in detail

  • “needed a specific amount”
Similar
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”
Antonyms

noun

1.

a fact about some part (as opposed to general)

  • “he always reasons from the particular to the general”
Synonyms
Antonyms
2.

a medicine that has a mitigating effect on a specific disease

  • “quinine is a specific for malaria”

Origin

From Old French specifique, from Late Latin specificus (“specific, particular”), from Latin speciēs (“kind”) + -ific.

Phrases

  • domain-specific language
  • donor-specific antibody
  • prostate-specific antigen
  • serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitor
  • specific charge
  • specific contract
  • specific density
  • specific energy

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

See also

Pertaining to

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.