1. (

• particular ,
• specific

) a fact about some part (as opposed to general); "he always reasons from the particular to the general" ;

2. (

• specific

) a medicine that has a mitigating effect on a specific disease; "quinine is a specific for malaria" ;

1. (

• specific

) (sometimes followed by `to') applying to or characterized by or distinguishing something particular or special or unique; "rules with specific application"; "demands specific to the job"; "a specific and detailed account of the accident" ;

2. (

• specific

) stated explicitly or in detail; "needed a specific amount" ;

3. (

• specific

) relating to or distinguishing or constituting a taxonomic species; "specific characters" ;

4. (

• specific ,

) being or affecting a disease produced by a particular microorganism or condition; used also of stains or dyes used in making microscope slides; "quinine is highly specific for malaria"; "a specific remedy"; "a specific stain is one having a specific affinity for particular structural elements" ;