Specific
WordNet
adjective
(1) Stated explicitly or in detail
"Needed a specific amount"
(2) (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"
(3) 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"
(4) Relating to or distinguishing or constituting a taxonomic species
"Specific characters"
noun
(5) A medicine that has a mitigating effect on a specific disease
"Quinine is a specific for malaria"
(6) A fact about some part (as opposed to general)
"He always reasons from the particular to the general"
WiktionaryText
Etymology
From < < + < .
Adjective
- explicit or definite
- of, or relating to a species
- pertaining to a taxon at the rank of species
- special, distinctive or unique
- intended for, or applying to a particular thing
- being a remedy for a particular disease
- limited to a particular antibody or antigen
- a value divided by the mass (e.g. specific volume)
- a measure compared to a standard reference (e.g. specific refractive index is relative to that of air)
Antonyms
- all-purpose
- broad
- general
- general-purpose
- generic
- gross
- nonspecific
- overall
- pandemic
- universal
- unspecific
- widespread