specific

One entry found for specific.

Main Entry: ¹spe·cif·ic
Pronunciation: spi-'si-fik
Function: adjective
Etymology: Late Latin specificus, from Latin species
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
synonym see SPECIAL, EXPLICIT
- spe·cif·i·cal·ly /-fi-k(&-)lE/ adverb