'Specific' definitions:
Definition of 'specific'
(from WordNet)
adjective
(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]
adjective
Stated explicitly or in detail; "needed a specific amount"
adjective
Relating to or distinguishing or constituting a taxonomic species; "specific characters"
adjective
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]
noun
A fact about some part (as opposed to general); "he always reasons from the particular to the general" [syn: particular, specific] [ant: general]
noun
A medicine that has a mitigating effect on a specific disease; "quinine is a specific for malaria"
Definition of 'Specific'
From: GCIDE
- Specific \Spe*cif"ic\, n.
- 1. (Med.) A specific remedy. See Specific, a., 3. [1913 Webster]
- His parents were weak enough to believe that the royal touch was a specific for this malady. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Anything having peculiar adaption to the purpose to which it is applied. --Dr. H. More. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'specific'
From: GCIDE
- specific \spe*cif"ic\ (sp[-e]*s[i^]f"[i^]k), a. [F. sp['e]cifique, or NL. spesificus; 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. [1913 Webster]
- Specific difference is that primary attribute which distinguishes each species from one another. --I. Watts. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Specifying; definite, or making definite; limited; precise; discriminating; as, a specific statement. [1913 Webster]
- 3. (Med.) Exerting a peculiar influence over any part of the body; preventing or curing disease by a peculiar adaptation, and not on general principles; as, quinine is a specific medicine in cases of malaria. [1913 Webster]
- In fact, all medicines will be found specific in the perfection of the science. --Coleridge. [1913 Webster]
- 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 the 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 Linnaeus 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. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'specific'
From: 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
Words containing 'Specific'
- Specifical,
- Specifically,
- Specificate,
- Specificness,
- specification,
- specificity,
- Specific character,
- Specific disease,
- Specific duty,
- Specific gravity,
- Specific heat,
- Specific legacy,
- Specific name,
- Specific performance,
- Specific volume,
- Specific inductive capacity,
- prostate specific antigen,
- Specific heat of a substance at any temperature