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specimen

noun
spec·​i·​men | \ ˈspes-mÉ™n How to pronounce specimen (audio) , ˈspe-sÉ™-\

Definition of specimen

1a : an individual, item, or part considered typical of a group, class, or whole
b : a portion or quantity of material for use in testing, examination, or study a urine specimen
2a : something that obviously belongs to a particular category but is noticed by reason of an individual distinguishing characteristic
b : person, individual he's a tough specimen
3 : a plant grown for exhibition or in the open to display its full development specimen trees
Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about specimen

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Choose the Right Synonym for specimen

instance, case, illustration, example, sample, specimen mean something that exhibits distinguishing characteristics in its category. instance applies to any individual person, act, or thing that may be offered to illustrate or explain. an instance of history repeating itself case is used to direct attention to a real or assumed occurrence or situation that is to be considered, studied, or dealt with. a case of mistaken identity illustration applies to an instance offered as a means of clarifying or illuminating a general statement. a telling illustration of Murphy's Law example applies to a typical, representative, or illustrative instance or case. a typical example of bureaucratic waste sample implies a part or unit taken at random from a larger whole and so presumed to be typical of its qualities. show us a sample of your work specimen applies to any example or sample whether representative or merely existent and available. one of the finest specimens of the jeweler's art

Examples of specimen in a Sentence

The church is a magnificent specimen of baroque architecture. Her dance partner is a superb physical specimen.

Recent Examples on the Web

 Students would discuss each specimen, identify its various parts, and then eat it. — Tik Root, Time, "Inside the Race to Build the World's First Commercial Octopus Farm," 21 Aug. 2019 The pair searched for specimens on Sand Mountain but struggled to find any in the five places it was known to live previously. — Dennis Pillion | Dpillion@al.com, al, "Alabama crayfish could be early victim of weakened endangered species protections," 15 Aug. 2019 Willis knows all too well how fortunate scientists and all Australians are to have these specimens in public collections. — Clare Watson, Smithsonian, "Scientists and Miners Team Up to Preserve Opalized Fossils," 1 Aug. 2019 These and more than 200 additional specimens make up the collection. — John Laidler, BostonGlobe.com, "Nahant digs into its plants, then and now," 30 July 2019 Men like John Jaha or David Wells, or Prince Fielder in his belly-shaking prime; MLB needs these physical specimens back in the spotlight. — Jon Tayler, SI.com, "The Home Run Derby Field Looks Loaded," 2 July 2019 Meadow, as its name suggests, takes its motif from the flora of a spring field—but presents these specimens flattened on a solid background, like fresh flowers pressed in a book. — Hadley Keller, House Beautiful, "The Perfect Floral Wallpaper for People Who Hate Florals," 19 Mar. 2019 Gatewood, at 6-foot-5 and 233 pounds while drawing Cam Newton comparisons, may be more of a physical specimen and better runner than Nix at this point, but Nix appears to be a more polished passer — even for a true freshman. — Tom Green | Tgreen@al.com, al, "Kenny Dillingham discusses Auburn quarterback race, judging Bo Nix and Joey Gatewood in practice," 15 Aug. 2019 Worthy and his team compared the leg bones to specimens and online images from various museums to whittle away at the list of potential species. — Jenny Howard, National Geographic, "This toddler-size parrot was a prehistoric oddity," 6 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'specimen.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of specimen

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for specimen

Latin, from specere to look at, look — more at spy

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More Definitions for specimen

specimen

noun
How to pronounce specimen (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of specimen

: something (such as an animal or plant) collected as an example of a particular kind of thing
: a small amount or piece of something that can be tested or examined
: a notable example of something

See the full definition for specimen in the English Language Learners Dictionary

specimen

noun
spec·​i·​men | \ ˈspe-sÉ™-mÉ™n How to pronounce specimen (audio) \

Kids Definition of specimen

1 : something collected as a sample or for examination
2 : a notable example of something The cathedral is a magnificent specimen of medieval architecture.
3 : an example of a type of person … the specimen of the British nobility present happened to be the most ordinary man of the party.— Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
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