Specific vs Particular - What's the difference?
specific | particular |
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.
(obsolete) Pertaining only to a part of something; partial.
Specific; discrete; concrete.
* Shakespeare
Specialised; characteristic of a specific person or thing.
* Francis Bacon
(obsolete) Known only to an individual person or group; confidential.
* 1623 , William Shakespeare, King Lear , V.1:
Distinguished in some way; special (often in negative constructions).
(comparable) Of a person, concerned with, or attentive to, details; minute; precise; fastidious.
Concerned with, or attentive to, details; minute; circumstantial; precise.
(legal) Containing a part only; limited.
(legal) Holding a particular estate.
(logic) Forming a part of a genus; relatively limited in extension; affirmed or denied of a part of a subject.
A small individual part of something larger; a detail, a point.
(obsolete) A person's own individual case.
*, II.16:
*:Since philosophy could never find any way for tranquillity that might be generally good, let every man in his particular seeke for it.
* Whole Duty of Man
*
As adjectives the difference between specific and particular
is that specific is explicit or definite while particular is pertaining only to a part of something; partial.As nouns the difference between specific and particular
is that specific is a distinguishing attribute or quality while particular is a small individual part of something larger; a detail, a point.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.
Antonyms
* all-purpose * broad * general * general-purpose * generic * gross * nonspecific * overall * pandemic * universal * unspecific * widespreadDerived terms
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *See also
* genericNoun
(en noun)Derived terms
*External links
* * * ----particular
English
Alternative forms
* perticular (obsolete)Adjective
(-)- I couldn't find the particular model you asked for, but I hope this one will do.
- We knew it was named after John Smith, but nobody knows which particular John Smith.
- [Make] each particular hair to stand an end, / Like quills upon the fretful porpentine.
- I don't appreciate your particular brand of cynicism.
- wheresoever one plant draweth such a particular juice out of the earth
- or these domesticke and particular broiles, Are not the question heere.
- My five favorite places are, in no particular order, New York, Chicago, Paris, San Francisco and London.
- I didn't have any particular interest in the book.
- He brought no particular news.
- She was the particular belle of the party.
- He is very particular about his food and if it isn't cooked to perfection he will send it back.
- a full and particular account of an accident
- a particular estate, or one precedent to an estate in remainder
- a particular tenant
- (Blackstone)
- a particular proposition, opposed to "universal", e.g. (particular affirmative) "Some men are wise"; (particular negative) "Some men are not wise".
Synonyms
* See alsoAntonyms
* generalDerived terms
* antiparticularism * antiparticularist * in particular * particular average * particular Church * particular integral * particularism * particularize * particularly * particularityExternal links
*Noun
(en noun)- temporal blessings, whether such as concern the publicor such as concern our particular