Category:Specific

Spe*cif"ic, a. Etym: [f. spécifique, 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.)

Defn: 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 linnæus 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.

Specific Spe*cif"ic, n.

1. (med.)

Defn: 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.