Exact vs Specific - What's the difference?
exact | specific |
Precisely agreeing with a standard, a fact, or the truth; perfectly conforming; neither exceeding nor falling short in any respect.
Habitually careful to agree with a standard, a rule, or a promise; accurate; methodical; punctual.
* (John Milton) (1608-1674)
* 1661 , ,
Precisely or definitely conceived or stated; strict.
* (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
(algebra, of a sequence of groups connected by homomorphisms) Such that the kernel of one homomorphism is the image of the preceding one.
To demand and enforce the payment or performance of.
* Bible, Luke iii. 13
To make desirable or necessary.
* Massinger
To forcibly obtain or produce.
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
* Coleridge
(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)
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.
As adjectives the difference between exact and specific
is that exact is precisely agreeing with a standard, a fact, or the truth; perfectly conforming; neither exceeding nor falling short in any respect while specific is explicit or definite.As a verb exact
is to demand and enforce the payment or performance of.As a noun specific is
a distinguishing attribute or quality.exact
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- I see thou art exact of taste.
The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. Hammond
- During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant
- An exact command, / Larded with many several sorts of reason.
Synonyms
* (precisely agreeing) perfect, true, correct, precise * (precisely or definitely conceived or stated) strict * spot onAntonyms
* (precisely agreeing) inexact, imprecise, approximate * (precisely or definitely conceived or stated) looseDerived terms
* exactly * exactness * exact sequenceVerb
(en verb)- to exact tribute, fees, or obedience
- He said into them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
- My designs exact me in another place.
- to exact revenge
Derived terms
* exactable * exacter * exacting * exactorExternal links
* * * 1000 English basic words ----specific
English
Alternative forms
* specifick (obsolete)Adjective
(en adjective)- Quinine is a specific medicine in cases of malaria.
- In fact, all medicines will be found specific in the perfection of the science.