Specimen: Definition, Usage & Common Examples (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：sample for testing (specimen)

specimen 🔊

/ˈspesɪmən/

one single example of something, often used for testing, examining, or showing what the whole group is like.

Specimen illustration: medical blood sample in test tube for analysis

sample for testing 🔊

➕

/ˈsæmpəl fɔr ˈtɛstɪŋ/

A single item or part taken as a representative example for analysis, especially in medical or scientific contexts.

📁 Category：Physical & Mental Health 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'specimen' (sample), from 'specere' (to look), meaning an item for observation.

💡 Mnemonic

Specimen sounds like 'special men' – a special sample taken for close examination.

📖 Example

The doctor sent my blood specimen to the lab to check for any infections. 🔊 The doctor dispatched my blood sample to the laboratory for infection screening.

🔗 Collocations

blood specimen – a sample of blood for medical testing

urine specimen – a sample of urine for analysis

laboratory specimen – a sample prepared for lab examination

🔄 Synonyms

sample (n.) – a small part or quantity intended to show what the whole is like

example (n.) – a thing characteristic of its kind or illustrating a general rule

model (n.) – a simplified representation used to explain or simulate something

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Latin 'specimen', meaning a sign or sample. Entered English in the 1600s, widely used in science for representative examples under study, such as in medicine and natural history.

Meaning 2：preserved sample for study (specimen)

specimen 🔊

/ˈspesɪmən/

a real example of an animal, plant, or mineral that is collected, kept, and often displayed for study.

Specimen example: preserved butterfly display in museum for study

preserved sample for study 🔊

➕

/prɪˈzɜrvd ˈsæmpəl fɔr ˈstʌdi/

A real example of an organism or mineral that is collected, preserved, and often displayed for scientific or educational purposes.

📁 Category：Natural Geography 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

This butterfly specimen in the glass case is over a hundred years old. 🔊 This butterfly sample preserved in a display case has existed for more than a century.

🔗 Collocations

butterfly specimen – a preserved butterfly for collection or study

mineral specimen – a sample of a mineral for geological examination

herbarium specimen – a dried plant sample mounted for botanical research

🔄 Synonyms

sample (n.) – a small part representing the whole

exhibit (n.) – an object displayed for public viewing, especially in a museum

instance (n.) – a particular example or case of something