Specyficzny

Specyficzny is an adjective in Polish meaning related to a particular kind, context, or condition. It denotes that a property, reaction, or feature is not general but restricted to a specific case or group. In scientific language the term often carries a precise sense, such as a reaction or characteristic that is specific to a given antigen, species, or environment. In everyday usage specyficzny can also imply something peculiar or distinctive, depending on the context.

Etymology and related terms: The word is derived from Latin specificus and entered Polish through European languages, in connection with forms such as specyfika (peculiarity or specificity) and specyficzność (specificity). Polish also uses related adjectives and nouns such as charakterystyczny (characteristic) and swoisty (peculiar), which are sometimes used as near synonyms but carry slightly different nuances.

Usage and examples: In biology and medicine one speaks of reakcja specyficzna (a specific reaction) or cecha specyficzna dla danego gatunku (a trait specific to a given species). The phrase to być specyficznym dla czegoś means to be specific to or restricted to that thing, as in: „zjawisko specyficzne dla tej populacji” (a phenomenon specific to this population). In linguistics or information technology, specyficzny can describe features or requirements that apply only in a particular domain or context.

See also: specyfika, specyficzność, swoistość, cecha charakterystyczna.