| specialty | The particular subject area or branch of medical science to which one devotes professional attention. Origin: L. Specialitas fr. Specialis, special (05 Mar 2000) |
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| specialty boards | Organizations which certify physicians and dentists as specialists in various fields of medical and dental practice. (12 Dec 1998) |
| specialty chemicals and products | Chemicals and chemical products used in a research, industrial, or household setting. Included here are the specific drug preparations, as well as the substances involved in the manufacture and stabilization of pharmaceutical preparations and agricultural agents. (12 Dec 1998) |
| speciation | The evolutionary process by which diverse species of animals or plants are formed from a common ancestral stock. (05 Mar 2000) |
| species | A taxonomic category subordinate to a genus (or subgenus) and superior to a subspecies or variety, composed of individuals possessing common characters distinguishing them from other categories of individuals of the same taxonomic level. In taxonomic nomenclature, species are designated by the genus name followed by a Latin or Latinised adjective or noun. (18 Nov 1997) |
| species area curve | The curve on a graph produced when plotting the cumulative number of plant species found in a series of quadrats against the cumulative number or area of those quadrats, it is used to determine the number of quadrats sufficient to adequately survey the herbaceous understory. (09 Oct 1997) |
| species group | <zoology> The taxonomic categories species and subspecies. (09 Jan 1998) |
| species indeterminata | <zoology> Undetermined species, one not identifiable with the description for a name already published. Usually given with a generic name only. (09 Jan 1998) |
| species inquirendum | <zoology> A species to be queried, a doubtfully identified species requiring further investigation. (09 Jan 1998) |
| species specificity | Restriction of a characteristic or response to the members of one species; it usually refers to that property of the immune response which differentiates one species from another on the basis of antigen recognition, but the concept is not limited to immunology and is used loosely at levels higher than the species. (12 Dec 1998) |
| species tolerance | The insensitivity to a particular drug exhibited by a particular species. (05 Mar 2000) |
| species-specific | Applying only to a particular species, said of effects that vary depending on the species in question. (09 Oct 1997) |
| species-specific antigen | Antigenic components in the tissues and fluids of members of a species of animal, by means of which various species may be immunologically distinguished; e.g., serum albumin of horses is immunologically different from that of man, dogs, sheep, and so on. (05 Mar 2000) |
| specific | 1. Pertaining to a species. 2. Produces by a single kind of microorganism. 3. A remedy specially indicated for any particular disease. 4. <immunology> Pertaining to the special affinity of antigen for the corresponding antibody. Origin: L. Specificus (18 Nov 1997) |
| specific absorbance | Absorbance per unit of concentration. See: specific absorption coefficient. (05 Mar 2000) |