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Origin and history of specific

specific(adj.)

1630s, "having a special quality," from French spécifique and directly from Late Latin specificus "constituting a kind or sort" (in Medieval Latin "specific, particular"), from Latin species "kind, sort" (see species) + -ficus "making, doing," from combining form of facere "to make."

The earlier form was specifical (early 15c., specificalle, "narrow, specific"). The meaning "precise, regarding a definite subject, in accord with what is determined" is recorded by 1740. Related: Specifically; specificness; specificalness.

specific(n.)

"a specific quality or detail," 1690s, from specific (adj.). Related: Specifics.

also from 1690s

Entries linking to specific

species(n.)

late 14c., in logic, "a class of individuals or things," from Latin species "a particular sort, kind, or type" (opposed to genus), originally "a sight, look, view; outward appearance, shape, form," a derivative of specere "to look at, to see, behold" (from PIE root *spek- "to observe"). In English it is attested from 1550s as "appearance, outward form."

Latin species "a sight; outward appearance" had many extended senses, including "a spectacle; a mental appearance, an idea or notion;" also "semblance, pretext; manner, fashion; display, beauty; a likeness or statue; reputation, honor." Typically it was used in passive senses. Also compare spice (n.).

In Late Latin, in logic and legal language, it acquired the meaning "a special case," especially (as a translation of Greek eidos) "a class included under a higher class; a kind; a sort; a number of individuals having common characteristics peculiar to them." The notion (as Lewis & Short puts it) is "The particular thing among many to which the looks are turned."

The English word is attested from 1560s as "a distinct class (of something) based on common characteristics." The specific use in biological sciences in reference to groups of living things recognizably distinct from all others by their inherited characteristics is from c. 1600, but the exact definition never has been settled.

interspecific(adj.)

"existing between species," 1889, from inter- "between" + specific, used here as an adjective to go with species.

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specification
1610s, "act of investing with some quality," from Medieval Latin specificationem (nominative specificatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Late Latin specificare "mention particularly," from Latin specificus (see specific). The meaning "technical particular, article,
specify
early 14c., specifien, "to speak, make plain, say" (intransitive); mid-14c., transitive, "to name (someone or something) explicitly," from Old French specifier, especefier (13c.) and directly from Late Latin specificare "mention particularly," from specificus (see specific). Rela
general
c. 1200, "of wide application, generic, affecting or involving all" (as opposed to special or specific), from Old French general (12c.) and directly from Latin generalis "relating to all, of a whole class, generic" (contrasted with specialis), from genus (genitive generis) "stock
detective
His duties differ from those of the ordinary policeman in that he has no specific beat or round, and in that he is concerned...with the investigation of specific cases, or the watching of particular individuals or classes of offenders, rather than...
application
The computer sense "program designed to carry out specific tasks or solve specific problems within a larger system" is a...
alderman
In later Old English a more specific title, "chief magistrate of a county," having both civic and military duties....Having lost its specific sense, alderman was then applied to any head man; meaning "headman of a guild" (early 12c.) passed...
relegate
All senses are from a specific meaning in Roman law: "send into exile, cause to move a certain distance from Rome for a certain...Of subjects, things, etc., "assign to some specific category, domain, etc.," by 1866....Any number of individuals could be relegated under a single decree, and they even could be directed to relocate to a specific...
decimation
mid-15c., decimacioun, "the paying of tithes, a tithing, a tax of 10% on income," from Old French decimacion and directly from Late Latin decimationem (nominative decimatio) "the taking of a tenth," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin decimare "the removal or destru
medication
early 15c., medicacioun, "medical treatment of a disease or wound," from Old French médication and directly from Latin medicationem (nominative medicatio) "healing, cure," noun of action from past-participle stem of medicare, medicari "to medicate, heal, cure" (poetic and Late La
fact
1530s, "action, a thing performed, anything done, a deed," good or evil but in 16c.-17c. commonly "evil deed, crime;" from Latin factum "an event, occurrence, deed, achievement," in Medieval Latin also "state, condition, circumstance" (source also of Old French fait, Spanish hech

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