spezifisch

Spezifisch is a German adjective and, in technical contexts, can also function as an adverb meaning specific or particular to a certain subject, property, or context. It signals that something is narrow, defined, and not general. In everyday language it appears in phrases such as spezifische Anforderungen (specific requirements) or spezifische Reaktion (specific reaction). In science and medicine it is common to speak of spezifische Immunantwort (specific immune response) or spezifische Symptome (specific symptoms). The term is often contrasted with speziell, which can carry a slightly different nuance of emphasis or intention.

Etymology and related terms

The word derives from Latin specificus, related to species meaning kind or appearance, and entered German as part of the growth of scientific vocabulary. It has cognates in other languages, including English specific, Dutch specifiek, and Swedish specifik (or specifikt in some forms). The noun forms include Spezifität (specificity) and Spezifikation (specification), both used in technical or formal contexts.

Usage and nuance

Spezifisch primarily describes a relationship to a particular kind or class, emphasizing precision and particularity. It is common in scientific, medical, legal, and technical writing. For adverbial use, German tends to employ longer expressions such as auf spezifische Weise (in a specific manner) or spezifisch darauf bezogen (specifically related to that). In everyday speech, speakers may prefer eher allgemein or speziell for nuances of emphasis or particularization.

See also

Specificity, specification, and related terms in German-language scientific and technical vocabulary.