specimen
[ spes-uh-muhn ]
/ ˈspɛs ə mən /
noun
a part or an individual taken as exemplifying a whole mass or number; a typical animal, plant, mineral, part, etc.
(in medicine, microbiology, etc.) a sample of a substance or material for examination or study: a urine specimen; a tissue specimen.
a particular or peculiar kind of person.
Origin of specimen
1600–10; < Latin: mark, example, indication, sign, equivalent to
speci-, stem of
specere to look, regard +
-men noun suffix denoting result or means
synonym study for specimen
1. See
example.
Words nearby specimen
specific volume,
specifically,
specification,
specificity,
specify,
specimen,
specimen plant,
speciosity,
specious,
specious present,
speck
Example sentences from the Web for specimen
British Dictionary definitions for specimen
specimen
/ (ˈspɛsɪmɪn) /
noun
- an individual, object, or part regarded as typical of the group or class to which it belongs
- (as modifier)a specimen signature; a specimen page
med
a sample of tissue, blood, urine, etc, taken for diagnostic examination or evaluation
the whole or a part of an organism, plant, rock, etc, collected and preserved as an example of its class, species, etc
informal, often derogatory
a person
Word Origin for specimen
C17: from Latin: mark, evidence, proof, from
specere to look at
Medical definitions for specimen
specimen
[ spĕs′ə-mən ]
n.
A sample, as of tissue, blood, or urine, used for analysis and diagnosis.