SPECIFIC

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does specific mean? 

• SPECIFIC (noun)
  The noun SPECIFIC has 2 senses:

1. a fact about some part (as opposed to general)

2. a medicine that has a mitigating effect on a specific disease

  Familiarity information: SPECIFIC used as a noun is rare.

• SPECIFIC (adjective)
  The adjective SPECIFIC has 4 senses:

1. (sometimes followed by 'to') applying to or characterized by or distinguishing something particular or special or unique

2. stated explicitly or in detail

3. relating to or distinguishing or constituting a taxonomic species

4. being or affecting a disease produced by a particular microorganism or condition; used also of stains or dyes used in making microscope slides

  Familiarity information: SPECIFIC used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SPECIFIC (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A fact about some part (as opposed to general)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

particular; specific

Context example:

he always reasons from the particular to the general

Hypernyms ("specific" is a kind of...):

fact (a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred)

Antonym:

general (a fact about the whole (as opposed to particular))

Sense 2

Meaning:

A medicine that has a mitigating effect on a specific disease

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Context example:

quinine is a specific for malaria

Hypernyms ("specific" is a kind of...):

medicament; medication; medicinal drug; medicine ((medicine) something that treats or prevents or alleviates the symptoms of disease)

• SPECIFIC (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(sometimes followed by 'to') applying to or characterized by or distinguishing something particular or special or unique

Context example:

a specific and detailed account of the accident

Similar:

ad hoc (for or concerned with one specific purpose)

circumstantial (fully detailed and specific about particulars)

limited; special (having a specific function or scope)

particular; peculiar; special (unique or specific to a person or thing or category)

particular (separate and distinct from others of the same group or category)

particularised; particularized (directed toward a specific object)

proper (limited to the thing specified)

unique ((followed by 'to') applying exclusively to a given category or condition or locality)

Also:

precise (sharply exact or accurate or delimited)

specialised; specialized (developed or designed for a special activity or function)

Attribute:

generality (the quality of being general or widespread or having general applicability)

Antonym:

general (applying to all or most members of a category or group)

nonspecific (not caused by a specific agent; used also of staining in making microscope slides)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Stated explicitly or in detail

Context example:

needed a specific amount

Similar:

specified (clearly and explicitly stated)

Derivation:

specificity (the quality of being specific rather than general)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Relating to or distinguishing or constituting a taxonomic species

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Context example:

specific characters

Pertainym:

species ((biology) taxonomic group whose members can interbreed)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Being or affecting a disease produced by a particular microorganism or condition; used also of stains or dyes used in making microscope slides

Context example:

a specific stain is one having a specific affinity for particular structural elements

Domain category:

medical specialty; medicine (the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques)

pathology (the branch of medical science that studies the causes and nature and effects of diseases)

Antonym:

nonspecific (not caused by a specific agent; used also of staining in making microscope slides)

 Context examples 

These findings suggest that people should be conscious of the supplements they're taking and ensure they're applicable to the specific vitamin or mineral deficiencies they have been advised of by their healthcare provider.

(Most Popular Supplements Provide No Health Benefit, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Acupuncture involves stimulating specific points on the body.

(Acupuncture, NIH: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)

The reason that changes were made to the specific therapy under study.

(Action Taken with Study Treatment, NCI Thesaurus)

About 1 in 150 of the 3,734 study participants had at least 1 of 4 specific mutations that disrupt function in this gene.

(Rare mutations reduce heart disease risk, NIH)

Past studies have shown that tumor cells can be detected in blood and bone marrow by searching for tumor-specific gene sequences.

(Tumor DNA in Blood Reveals Lymphoma Progression, NIH)

This protein is involved in the DNA mismatch-specific glycosylase activity.

(Methyl-CpG-Binding Domain Protein 4, NCI Thesaurus)

Rather than let life decide where your job will take you next, you will firmly direct the pace and direction of your career toward a specific goal.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

This allele, which encodes short-chain specific acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, mitochondrial protein, is involved in lipid oxidation.

(ACADS wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes medium-chain specific acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, mitochondrial protein, plays a role in lipid oxidation.

(ACADM wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

"Have you got what you looked for?" I asked, to which he replied:—I did not look for any specific thing.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)