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specific

adj. · n.
US //spəˈsɪfɪk// UK //spəsˈɪfɪk// spe·cif·ic
  1. 1 exact and clear (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    clear and exact rather than general.

    explicit, definite, or precise in nature; avoiding ambiguity by providing exact details.

    Example

    The teacher gave us specific instructions on how to finish the project.

    Example

    The contract includes specific clauses regarding the termination of services, ensuring that both parties understand their legal obligations.
  2. 2 particular or unique (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    relating to one particular thing and not others.

    restricted to a particular individual, situation, or object; unique to a certain context.

    Example

    This medicine is for a specific type of allergy.

    Example

    The researcher identified a specific gene sequence that appears only in this population of desert plants.
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  1. 3 standardized by mass (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Academic Science

    used in science to describe a value that is divided by the mass of an object.

    denoting a physical quantity per unit of mass, or a value standardized by division to create a ratio.

    Example

    Specific heat is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance.

    Example

    Engineers must calculate the specific gravity of the alloy to determine if the component will float in the high-density cooling fluid.
  2. 4 the details (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the small details or exact facts about something.

    the particular details or precise items of information; almost exclusively used in the plural form.

    Example

    I know the general plan, but I don't know the specifics yet.

    Example

    While the CEO outlined the broad vision for the merger, the legal teams spent weeks debating the specifics of the asset transfer.

    Usage

    Usually used in the plural form 'specifics'.
    • generalities
Origin

From Old French specifique, from Late Latin specificus (“specific, particular”), from Latin speciēs (“kind”) + -ific.

Word family

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