English
specific
Specific comes from Late Latin specificus ‘specific, particular’, from Latin speciēs ‘kind’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*speḱ-‘to see’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*spéḱyeti‘to be looking at’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*spekjō‘to observe’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeciō‘to see’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeciēs‘kind’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEspecificus‘specific’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400specifique
- Englishearliest quotation 1830specific
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*speḱ-‘to see’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*spéḱyeti‘to be looking at’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*spekjō‘to observe’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeciō‘to see’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeciēs‘kind’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEspecificus‘specific’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400specifique
- Englishearliest quotation 1830specific
Earliest quotation: 1830, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, London: John Murray: “The study of specific medicines is too much disregarded…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’
spy, suspicion, espionage, microscope, kaleidoscope, skeptic, gyroscope, espy, 118 more
through Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti ‘to be looking at, to keep looking at’
scope, skeptical, macroscopic, endoscopic, spectroscopic, 116 more
through Proto-Italic *spekjō ‘to observe, see’
speculation, speculative, speculate, inconspicuous, specular, 28 more
through Latin speciō ‘to see’
despite, respect, perspective, spite, aspect, inspector, spectrum, expectation, inspection, spectacular, spectacle, retrospective, inspect, conspicuous, spectator, retrospect, expectant, specter, speculator, circumspect, 30 more
through Latin speciēs ‘kind’
Today it means
adj Explicit or definite.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- / specific