01 a. Of or pertaining to a species; characterizing or constituting a species; possessing the peculiar property or properties of a thing which co…
-
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.
Exerting a peculiar influence over any part of the body; preventing or curing disease by a peculiar adaptation, and not on general principles; as, quinine is a specific medicine in cases of malaria.(Med.)“In fact, all medicines will be found specific in the perfection of the science.” — Coleridge.
Phrases & compounds
Specific character —
a characteristic or characteristics distinguishing one species from every other species of the same genus.
Specific disease —
A disease which produces a determinate definite effect upon the blood and tissues or upon some special tissue
Specific duty —
See under Duty.
Specific gravity —
See under Gravity.
Specific heat —
the quantity of heat required to raise the 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 —
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 —
a bequest of a particular thing, as of a particular animal or piece of furniture, specified and distinguished from all others.
Specific name —
the name which, appended to the name of the genus, constitutes the distinctive name of the species; -- originally applied by Linnaeus to the essential character of the species, or the essential difference. The present specific name he at first called the trivial name.
Specific performance —
the peformance of a contract or agreement as decreed by a court of equity.