specimen
SPES-uh-mun
/ˈspesɪmən/
An individual animal, plant, piece of a mineral, etc., used as an example of its species or type for scientific study or display.
Can also be used humorously or disparagingly to refer to a person (e.g., 'a fine specimen of a man').
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'specimen', meaning 'an indication, mark, or example'. It is something you 'look at' to understand the whole group it belongs to.
Word relationships
- sample: Sample is a small part of a whole; specimen is a single representative example of a group.
- example: Example is more general; specimen is more technical or scientific.
Commonly confused with
- species: Species is the category; a specimen is an individual member of that category.
Collocations
- collect a specimen
- rare specimen
- biological specimen
Example sentences
- "The museum has a rare specimen of a giant squid preserved in alcohol." Biology
- "The doctor asked the patient to provide a urine specimen for testing." Medical
Memory hook
A 'specimen' is something you 'spec' (look) at in a lab. A scientific example.
When not to use
Do not use for a 'sample' of a product (like a free shampoo); use 'sample' instead.
Fun facts
- The word 'spice' actually comes from the same root—originally meaning 'types' or 'kinds' of goods.
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