specific

CEFRB1

/spɪˈsɪf.ɪk/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

01
adjective
Clearly defined or relating to one particular thing.
02
adjective
Extra detail
Pertaining to a species, as a taxon or taxa at the rank of species.

Examples

In American football the defense has a specific job.
We have specific proof of your innocence.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses: 5
Parts of speech: 1
Citations: 5
Synonyms: 5

Also pronounced

/spɛkˈsi.fɪk/

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

Special, distinctive or unique.
Explicit or definite.
intended for, or applying to, a particular thing.

More examples

In context

a highly specific test specific and nonspecific symptoms
I want specific information.
Meronyms: infrasubspecific, infraspecific, subspecific

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

To prevent any mistakes, the doctor gave me blank instructions on how to take the medicine.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Citations

The word in print, with each source given in full.

Science and literature, then, are the two achievements of Homo sapiens that most convincingly justify the specific name.
2008, Richard Dawkins, The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing, Oxford, published 2009, page 3
While some participants, like Gabi and Jasmine, had access to a gym but still felt uncertain about using specific types of equipment, others who trained at home faced even greater challenges due to the absence of both a coach and proper equipment.
2025 August 20, Ashlyn Barry, Justin A. Haegele, Daniel Schaefer, Kristen A. Pickett, Luis Columna, “Autistic Young Adults’ Experiences and Recommendations for Strength Training”, in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, →DOI
The study of specific medicines is too much disregarded now. No doubt, the hunting after specifics is a mark of ignorance and weakness in medicine, yet the neglect of them is proof also of immaturity; for, in fact, all medicines will be found specific in the perfection of science.
1830 May 23, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “Constitutional and Functional Life—Hysteria—Hydro-carbonic Gas—Bitters and Tonics—Specific Medicines”, in H[enry] N[elson] C[oleridge], editor, Specimens of the Table Talk of the Late Samuel Taylor Coleridge. […], volume I, London: John Murray, […], published 1835, →OCLC, page 147
Change of scene, and a new lover, are infallible specifics, always supposing there is no character for constancy to be supported: if I witness the violent sorrow of to-day, I impose upon to-morrow the necessity of being sorry also.
1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter IX, in Romance and Reality. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 201
If Burd Ellen had gone “widishins" round the church, she would, I think, have used the best homoeopathic specific against the Elf-King's power; for "to go widishins" was the chief element in elfin practices, and if mortals wished to resist or unspell elf-craft, they, too, had "to go widershins," or they had to repeat the Paternoster backwards, which came to the same thing, or do something else contrariwise.
1891 January 3, I. Gollancz, “Widishins”, in The Academy, London, page 14, column 3

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Origin

adjective

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

Deep Dive

adjective

More examples

Related

Quick test

To prevent any mistakes, the doctor gave me blank— instructions on how to take the medicine.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

To prevent any mistakes, the doctor gave me blank instructions on how to take the medicine.