Definitions for: Specific


[n] a medicine that has a mitigating effect on a specific disease; "quinine is a specific for malaria"
[n] a fact about some part (as opposed to general); "he always reasons from the particular to the general"
[adj] stated explicitly or in detail; "needed a specific amount"
[adj] (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"
[adj] (medicine and pathology) 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"
[adj] relating to or distinguishing or constituting a taxonomic species; "specific characters"



Webster (1913) Definition: Spe*cif"ic, a. [F. sp['e]cifique, or NL. cpesificus;
L. species a particular sort or kind + facere to make. Cf.
Specify.]
1. Of or pertaining to a species; characterizing or
constituting a species; possessing the peculiar property
or properties of a thing which constitute its species, and
distinguish it from other things; as, the specific form of
an animal or a plant; the specific qualities of a drug;
the specific distinction between virtue and vice.

Specific difference is that primary attribute which
distinguishes each species from one another. --I.
Watts.

2. Specifying; definite, or making definite; limited;
precise; discriminating; as, a specific statement.

3. (Med.) Exerting a peculiar influence over any part of the
body; preventing or curing disease by a peculiar adaption,
and not on general principles; as, quinine is a specific
medicine in cases of malaria.

In fact, all medicines will be found specific in the
perfection of the science. --Coleridge.

Specific character (Nat. Hist.), a characteristic or
characteristics distinguishing one species from every
other species of the same genus.

Specific disease (Med.)
(a) A disease which produces a determinate definite effect
upon the blood and tissues or upon some special
tissue.
(b) A disease which is itself uniformly produced by a
definite and peculiar poison or organism.

Specific duty. (Com.) See under Duty.

Specific gravity. (Physics) See under Gravity.

Specific heat (Physics), the quantity of heat required to
raise temperature of a body one degree, taking as the unit
of measure the quantity required to raise the same weight
of water from zero to one degree; thus, the specific heat
of mercury is 0.033, that of water being 1.000.

Specific inductive capacity (Physics), the effect of a
dielectric body in producing static electric induction as
compared with that of some other body or bodies referred
to as a standard.

Specific legacy (Law), a bequest of a particular thing, as
of a particular animal or piece of furniture, specified
and distinguished from all others. --Wharton. --Burrill.

Specific name (Nat., Hist.), the name which, appended to
the name of the genus, constitutes the distinctive name of
the species; -- originally applied by Linn[ae]us to the
essential character of the species, or the essential
difference. The present specific name he at first called
the trivial name.

Specific performance (Law), the peformance of a contract or
agreement as decreed by a court of equity.


Spe*cif"ic, n.
1. (Med.) A specific remedy. See Specific, a., 3.

His parents were weak enough to believe that the
royal touch was a specific for this malady.
--Macaulay.

2. Anything having peculiar adaption to the purpose to which
it is applied. --Dr. H. More.

Synonyms: ad hoc, circumstantial, limited, particular, particular(a), particularised, particularized, peculiar(a), proper(ip), special, special(a), specified, unique(p)

Antonyms: general, general, nonspecific

See Also: fact, medicament, medication, medicinal drug, medicine, precise, specialised, specialized

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