n.
Pronunciation: spi- ' si-fik
Function: adjective
Etymology: Late Latin specificus, from Latin species
Date: circa 1631
1 a : constituting or falling into a specifiable category b : sharing or being those properties of something that allow it to be referred to a particular category
2 a : restricted to a particular individual, situation, relation, or effect <a disease specific to horses> b : exerting a distinctive influence (as on a body part or a disease) < specific antibodies>
3 : free from ambiguity : ACCURATE <a specific statement of faith>
4 : of, relating to, or constituting a species and especially a biological species
5 a : being any of various arbitrary physical constants and especially one relating a quantitative attribute to unit mass, volume, or area b : imposed at a fixed rate per unit (as of weight or count) < specific import duties> ― compare AD VALOREM
synonyms see SPECIAL , EXPLICIT
– spe · cif · i · cal · ly \ -fi-k( ə -)l ē \ adverb