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Specific vs Bland - What's the difference?

specific | bland |

As an adjective specific

is explicit or definite.

As a noun specific

is a distinguishing attribute or quality.

As a proper noun bland is

.

specific

English

Alternative forms

* specifick (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • explicit or definite
  • (sciences) Pertaining to a species.
  • *2008 , (Richard Dawkins), The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing , Oxford 2009, p. 3:
  • *:Science and literature, then, are the two achievements of Homo sapiens that most convincingly justify the specific name.
  • (taxonomy) pertaining to a taxon at the rank of species
  • special, distinctive or unique
  • intended for, or applying to a particular thing
  • being a remedy for a particular disease
  • Quinine is a specific medicine in cases of malaria.
  • * Coleridge
  • In fact, all medicines will be found specific in the perfection of the science.
  • (immunology) limited to a particular antibody or antigen
  • (physics) of a value divided by mass (e.g. specific orbital energy)
  • (physics) similarly referring to a value divided by any measure which acts to standardize it (e.g. thrust specific fuel consumption, referring to fuel consumption divided by thrust)
  • (physics) a measure compared with a standard reference value by division, to produce a ratio without unit or dimension (e.g. specific refractive index is a pure number, and is relative to that of air)
  • Antonyms

    * all-purpose * broad * general * general-purpose * generic * gross * nonspecific * overall * pandemic * universal * unspecific * widespread

    Derived terms

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    See also

    * generic

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A distinguishing attribute or quality.
  • Something particularly adapted for a particular use, as a remedy for a particular disorder
  • Specification
  • (in the plural) The details; particulars.
  • Derived terms

    *

    bland

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) blanden, blonden, from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To mix; blend; mingle.
  • To connect; associate.
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) bland, from (etyl) bland, .

    Alternative forms

    * (Scotland)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Mixture; union.
  • An agreeable summer beverage prepared from the whey of churned milk, common among the inhabitants of the Shetland Islands.
  • Derived terms
    *

    Etymology 3

    Ultimately from (etyl) .

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Mild; soft, gentle, balmy; smooth in manner; suave.
  • *1818 , (John Keats), Sonnet :
  • *:Where didst thou find, young Bard, thy sounding lyre? / Where the bland accent, and the tender tone?
  • *
  • *:“A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron;. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland , invariably affable, and from time to time squinting sideways, as usual, in the ever-renewed expectation that he might catch a glimpse of his stiff, retroussé moustache.
  • Having a soothing effect; not irritating or stimulating.
  • :
  • Lacking in taste, flavor, or vigor.
  • :
  • References

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