[
UK
/spəsˈɪfɪk/
]
[ US /spəˈsɪfɪk, spɪˈsɪfɪk/ ]
[ US /spəˈsɪfɪk, spɪˈsɪfɪk/ ]
NOUN
-
a medicine that has a mitigating effect on a specific disease
quinine is a specific for malaria -
a fact about some part (as opposed to general)
he always reasons from the particular to the general
ADJECTIVE
-
stated explicitly or in detail
needed a specific amount -
relating to or distinguishing or constituting a taxonomic species
specific characters -
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 -
(sometimes followed by `to') applying to or characterized by or distinguishing something particular or special or unique
a specific and detailed account of the accident
rules with specific application
demands specific to the job
How To Use specific In A Sentence
- The terrestrial planets in our solar system all have very specific spectroscopic fingerprints that tell us quite a bit about their atmospheres.
- When I looked at the chart a second time, I saw that there was a lot Michael had left out of his personal history; specifically, IVDU—intravenous drug use—dating back ten years, and a major depression that had led to a psychiatric hospitalization and ECT, electroconvulsive therapy. After the Diagnosis
- The details aren't specific, and feel a little kludged.
- I seems like his stance is the same, he has just tinkered a bit with the numbers and specifics. Obama Pulls Back on Social Security Plan - The Caucus Blog - NYTimes.com
- The authors of the second paper admit that “other variables … influence the binding avidity (preference), such as type of SA (sialic acid of the receptor site) and glycosylation and sialylation of the hemagglutinin close to the receptor binding site. †These factors all vary obviously and there are other variables in the equation as well including the status of specific areas of the immune system. Think Progress » An Inconvenient Truth and An Intolerable Summer
- Keeping specific goals and metrics for testing in mind not only helps track status and results, but also avoids the last-second scramble to pull together necessary reports.
- In recent years, Laganside Corporation has transformed the inner core of Belfast city centre, specifically along the Lagan river and in the surrounding area.
- Consider some of the specific encounters Blue has with women Gareth is involved with. Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl: Questions
- The development of innovative new technologies and highly specific, nonradioactive labels has changed all of that. The Scientist
- Have a design idea ready with exact specifications about the piece that you want.