specific
specific Lexical Profile
specific Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Clearly defined, identified, or stated; precise and exact rather than general.
"The instructor gave us specific instructions on how to format the research paper."
Belonging or relating uniquely to a particular subject, place, or group; characteristic of a certain kind.
"This behavior is specific to migratory birds living in coastal wetlands."
Relating to a biological species or designating the scientific name that distinguishes a species within a genus.
"In binomial nomenclature, the second part of the Latin name is the specific epithet."
• noun
A precise detail, fact, or point under consideration (usually used in the plural).
"We agreed on the broad outline of the contract, but we still need to negotiate the specifics."
A medicine or remedy that is uniquely effective in treating a particular disease or condition.
"Quinine was long prized by physicians as a reliable specific for malaria."
• Rhymes for specific
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-17th century from Late Latin specificus ('constituting a kind or sort'), derived from Latin species ('kind, sort, appearance') combined with the suffix -ficus ('making').