specimen
B2Neutral to formal; common in scientific, academic, and medical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
An individual animal, plant, piece of a mineral, etc., used as an example of its species or type for scientific study or display.
A single example of something, typically one taken as representative of the whole; often used to describe a sample of a substance (e.g., urine, blood), or a person considered as a notable or typical example of a characteristic.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a count noun (specimens). Can be used humorously or pejoratively to describe a person (e.g., "a sorry specimen"). In medical contexts, it almost exclusively refers to a sample taken for testing.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning. Slight preference for 'sample' in more general American contexts, but 'specimen' is equally standard in technical use.
Connotations
In both varieties, used for biological/medical samples and in collecting (e.g., stamps, rocks). Informal, humorous reference to a person is equally understood.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both dialects within technical domains.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
specimen of [something]specimen from [source/origin]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a fine specimen of (a man/woman)”
- “a sorry specimen”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in specific industries like pharmaceuticals or laboratory supply.
Academic
Very common in life sciences, geology, archaeology, and museum studies.
Everyday
Common in medical contexts ("urine specimen"), gardening ("a fine specimen tree"), and humorous descriptions of people.
Technical
The standard term for an individual sample collected for analysis or as a representative of a class in scientific research.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The verb 'to specimen' is obsolete and not used.
American English
- The verb 'to specimen' is obsolete and not used.
adverb
British English
- No adverb form.
American English
- No adverb form.
adjective
British English
- Rare. 'Specimen' can be used attributively: 'a specimen signature', 'a specimen page'.
- The botanist checked the specimen tray.
American English
- Rare. 'Specimen' can be used attributively: 'a specimen copy', 'specimen trees'.
- He provided a specimen signature for the bank records.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The doctor needs a urine specimen.
- This is a specimen of a rare rock.
- They collected several insect specimens for their project.
- The museum has a specimen of the first stamp ever issued.
- The biologist carefully preserved the marine specimen in a formaldehyde solution.
- He's a fine physical specimen after all that training.
- The type specimen held in the herbarium serves as the definitive reference for classifying the species.
- The submitted manuscript was merely a specimen of his early, unrefined work.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think SPECImen = a SPECIfic example meaNt for study.
Conceptual Metaphor
AN OBJECT IS A REPRESENTATIVE EXAMPLE (The specimen stands for the entire class/category).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid directly translating as 'спишем' (to write off). The correct equivalent is 'образец' or 'экземпляр'. In medical contexts, use 'анализ' (e.g., 'анализ мочи') for 'specimen'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as an uncountable noun (e.g., 'some specimen' instead of 'a specimen' or 'some specimens'). Confusing it with 'species'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'specimen' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are often interchangeable, but 'specimen' is more common in biology/medicine for an individual organism or part, often with an emphasis on its typicality or representation. 'Sample' is more general and statistical, often implying a part taken to represent a larger whole (e.g., a sample of the population).
Yes, but it is often humorous or slightly derogatory, commenting on their physical or moral characteristics (e.g., 'a sorry specimen', 'a fine specimen of an athlete').
It is standard in technical and scientific writing. In everyday medical contexts ("give a specimen") it is neutral. Its use to describe people is informal.
In biology, it is the single physical example (or set of examples) of an organism upon which the description and name of a new species is formally based. It is the reference point for that species.
Collections
Part of a collection
Scientific Terminology
C1 · 44 words · Precise vocabulary used in scientific disciplines.