Specific difference is that primary attribute which
distinguishes each species from one another. --I.
Watts.
2. Specifying; definite, or making definite; limited;
precise; discriminating; as, a specific statement.
3. (Med.) Exerting a peculiar influence over any part of the
body; preventing or curing disease by a peculiar adaption,
and not on general principles; as, quinine is a specific
medicine in cases of malaria.
In fact, all medicines will be found specific in the
perfection of the science. --Coleridge.
{Specific character} (Nat. Hist.), a characteristic or
characteristics distinguishing one species from every
other species of the same genus.
{Specific disease} (Med.)
(a) A disease which produces a determinate definite effect
upon the blood and tissues or upon some special
tissue.
(b) A disease which is itself uniformly produced by a
definite and peculiar poison or organism.
{Specific duty}. (Com.) See under {Duty}.
{Specific gravity}. (Physics) See under {Gravity}.
{Specific heat} (Physics), the quantity of heat required to
raise temperature of a body one degree, taking as the unit
of measure the quantity required to raise the same weight
of water from zero to one degree; thus, the specific heat
of mercury is 0.033, that of water being 1.000.
{Specific inductive capacity} (Physics), the effect of a
dielectric body in producing static electric induction as
compared with that of some other body or bodies referred
to as a standard.
{Specific legacy} (Law), a bequest of a particular thing, as
of a particular animal or piece of furniture, specified
and distinguished from all others. --Wharton. --Burrill.
{Specific name} (Nat., Hist.), the name which, appended to
the name of the genus, constitutes the distinctive name of
the species; -- originally applied by Linn[ae]us to the
essential character of the species, or the essential
difference. The present specific name he at first called
the {trivial name}.
{Specific performance} (Law), the peformance of a contract or
agreement as decreed by a court of equity.
His parents were weak enough to believe that the
royal touch was a specific for this malady.
--Macaulay.
2. Anything having peculiar adaption to the purpose to which
it is applied. --Dr. H. More.