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Mostly vs Specifically - What's the difference?

mostly | specifically |

As adverbs the difference between mostly and specifically

is that mostly is mainly or chiefly; for the most part; usually, generally, on the whole while specifically is in a specific manner, applying to or naming a particular thing or things, expressly, explicitly.

mostly

English

Alternative forms

* mostlie (obsolete) * moastly (obsolete)

Adverb

(-)
  • Mainly or chiefly; for the most part; usually, generally, on the whole.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-29, volume=407, issue=8842, page=72-3, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= A punch in the gut , passage=Mostly , the microbiome is beneficial. It helps with digestion and enables people to extract a lot more calories from their food than would otherwise be possible. Research over the past few years, however, has implicated it in diseases from atherosclerosis to asthma to autism.}}
  • (obsolete) To the greatest extent; most.
  • * 1817 , , Northanger Abbey , [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=mDUbXHRIbRIC&dq=northanger+abbey+search+austen&pg=PP1&ots=EDH1Xu36el&sig=J7fVUwXmydAD36S8oLTWv2-ICNk&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA163,M1]:
    • She was to be their chosen visitor, she was to be for weeks under the same roof with the person whose society she mostly prized [...]!

    Synonyms

    * (mainly or chiefly) by and large, in the main, more often than not

    specifically

    English

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • in a specific manner, applying to or naming a particular thing or things, expressly, explicitly
  • * 1994 , Congress of the United States, :
    • A provision of law may not be construed as requiring a new grant to be awarded to a specified non-Federal Government entity unless that provision of law (1) specifically''' refers to this subsection; '''specifically''' identifies the particular non-Federal Government entity involved; and (3) '''specifically states that the award to that entity is required by such provision of law in contravention of the policy set forth in subsection (a).
  • * 2009 (last modified), University of North Dakota, Institutional Review Board Standard Operating Procedures: Informed Consent Documentation :
    • Unless specifically waived by the IRB, all subjects, or their legally authorized representatives, must document that they are consenting to participate in any research project that is approved by the University of North Dakota Institutional Review Board.
  • * 2010 (last amended), Congress of the United States, :
    • Unless a rule or statute specifically states otherwise, a pleading need not be verified or accompanied by an affidavit.
  • * 2011 , Paul Bergman, Sara Berman, The Criminal Law Handbook: Know Your Rights, Survive the System :
    • Many laws are directed specifically at child abuse.
  • for a specific purpose or reason