I. spe ‧ cif ‧ ic 1 S1 W1 AC /spəˈsɪfɪk, spɪˈsɪfɪk/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: noun : specifics; adverb : ↑ specifically ; adjective : ↑ specific ]
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: Late Latin ; Origin: specificus , from Latin species ; ⇨ ↑ species ]
1 . [only before noun] a specific thing, person, or group is one particular thing, person, or group OPP non-specific :
games suitable for specific age groups
a specific example of alcohol’s effect on the body
2 . detailed and exact OPP non-specific :
Mr Howarth gave us very specific instructions.
specific about
Could you be more specific about what you’re looking for?
3 . specific to something formal limited to or affecting only one particular thing:
a disease specific to horses
II. specific 2 AC BrE AmE noun
1 . specifics [plural] particular details
specifics of
the specifics of the lawsuit
give/go into/provide etc specifics
Thurman was reluctant to go into specifics about the deal.
2 . [countable] medical a drug that has an effect only on one particular disease