Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Specific?

\Spe*cif"ic\, a. [F. sp['e]cifique, or NL. cpesificus; L. species a particular sort or kind + facere to make. Cf. {Specify}.] 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. (Med.) Exerting a peculiar influence over any part of the body; preventing or curing disease by a peculiar adaption, and not on general principles; as, quinine is a specific medicine in cases of malaria. In fact, all medicines will be found specific in the perfection of the science. --Coleridge. {Specific character} (Nat. Hist.), a characteristic or characteristics distinguishing one species from every other species of the same genus. {Specific disease} (Med.) (a) A disease which produces a determinate definite effect upon the blood and tissues or upon some special tissue. (b) A disease which is itself uniformly produced by a definite and peculiar poison or organism. {Specific duty}. (Com.) See under {Duty}. {Specific gravity}. (Physics) See under {Gravity}. {Specific heat} (Physics), the quantity of heat required to raise 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} (Physics), 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} (Law), a bequest of a particular thing, as of a particular animal or piece of furniture, specified and distinguished from all others. --Wharton. --Burrill. {Specific name} (Nat., Hist.), the name which, appended to the name of the genus, constitutes the distinctive name of the species; -- originally applied by Linn[ae]us to the essential character of the species, or the essential difference. The present specific name he at first called the {trivial name}. {Specific performance} (Law), the peformance of a contract or agreement as decreed by a court of equity.
\Spe*cif"ic\, n. 1. (Med.) A specific remedy. See {Specific}, a., 3. His parents were weak enough to believe that the royal touch was a specific for this malady. --Macaulay. 2. Anything having peculiar adaption to the purpose to which it is applied. --Dr. H. More.