| Noun | 1. | specific - a fact about some part (as opposed to general); "he always reasons from the particular to the general"fact - a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred; "first you must collect all the facts of the case" general - a fact about the whole (as opposed to particular); "he discussed the general but neglected the particular" | |
| 2. | specific - a medicine that has a mitigating effect on a specific disease; "quinine is a specific for malaria" | |
| Adj. | 1. | specific - (sometimes followed by `to') applying to or characterized by or distinguishing something particular or special or unique; "rules with specific application"; "demands specific to the job"; "a specific and detailed account of the accident"precise - sharply exact or accurate or delimited; "a precise mind"; "specified a precise amount"; "arrived at the precise moment" general - applying to all or most members of a category or group; "the general public"; "general assistance"; "a general rule"; "in general terms"; "comprehensible to the general reader" nonspecific - not caused by a specific agent; used also of staining in making microscope slides; "nonspecific enteritis" | |
| 2. | specific - stated explicitly or in detail; "needed a specific amount"specified - clearly and explicitly stated; "meals are at specified times" | |
| 3. | specific - relating to or distinguishing or constituting a taxonomic species; "specific characters" | |
| 4. | specific - being or affecting a disease produced by a particular microorganism or condition; used also of stains or dyes used in making microscope slides; "quinine is highly specific for malaria"; "a specific remedy"; "a specific stain is one having a specific affinity for particular structural elements"pathology - the branch of medical science that studies the causes and nature and effects of diseases nonspecific - not caused by a specific agent; used also of staining in making microscope slides; "nonspecific enteritis" | |