specific Meaning & Definition
What Does Specific Mean?
Specific is a noun that means A distinguishing attribute or quality. It can also mean A remedy for a specific disease or condition. As an adjective, it means Explicit or definite.
Specific in Brief
| Part of speech | noun, adjective |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //spɪˈsɪf.ɪk// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | particular, ad hoc and special |
| Antonyms | general, nonspecific and unspecific |
| Plural | specifics |
| Comparative / superlative | more specific, most specific |
Specific Definition (Noun)
- A distinguishing attribute or quality.
- A remedy for a specific disease or condition.
- Specification
- (in the plural) The details; particulars.
Specific as an Adjective
- Explicit or definite
- Pertaining to a species.
- Pertaining to a taxon at the rank of species
- Special, distinctive or unique
- Intended for, or applying to, a particular thing
- Serving to identify a particular thing (often a disease or condition), with little risk of mistaking something else for it.
a highly specific test, specific and nonspecific symptoms
- Being a remedy for a particular disease
Quinine is a specific medicine in cases of malaria.
- Limited to a particular antibody or antigen
- Of a value divided by mass (e.g. specific orbital energy)
- Similarly referring to a value divided by any measure which acts to standardize it (e.g. thrust specific fuel consumption, referring to fuel consumption divided by thrust)
- A measure compared with a standard reference value by division, to produce a ratio without unit or dimension (e.g. specific refractive index is a pure number, and is relative to that of air)
Synonyms of Specific
Antonyms of Specific
Specific in a Sentence
a highly specific test, specific and nonspecific symptoms
Quinine is a specific medicine in cases of malaria.
Word Forms & Grammar
specific (comparative more specific, superlative most specific)
specific (plural specifics)
Words That Rhyme With Specific
Origin of Specific
From Old French specifique, from Late Latin specificus (“specific, particular”), from Latin speciēs (“kind”) + -ific.
How to Pronounce Specific
Specific is pronounced //spɪˈsɪf.ɪk// and has 1 syllable.
Frequently Asked Questions About Specific
Is specific a noun or an adjective?
Specific is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as an adjective.
What is another word for specific?
You can replace specific with words such as particular, ad hoc and special. See the full list of specific synonyms and antonyms.
What is the opposite of specific?
The opposite of specific can be expressed with words like general, nonspecific, unspecific and broad.
What is the plural of specific?
The plural of specific is specifics.
What are the comparative and superlative forms of specific?
The comparative form is more specific and the superlative form is most specific.
More About Specific On Meaning Stash
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