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Specific vs Specifically - What's the difference?

specific | specifically |

As an adjective specific

is explicit or definite.

As a noun specific

is a distinguishing attribute or quality.

As an adverb specifically is

in a specific manner, applying to or naming a particular thing or things, expressly, explicitly.

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

    *

    External links

    * * * ----

    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