nonspecific

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌnɑnspɪˈsɪfɪk/ UK /ˌnɒnspɪˈsɪfɪk/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
not specific; vague or not limited to a particular cause or type

The patient reported nonspecific symptoms that resisted any clear diagnosis.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · not specific; vague or not... general vague broad indefinite generic unspecific

Opposites

specific particular definite

Word family

Related forms specific species specify

Etymology

From non- ('not') + specific, from Late Latin specificus, from Latin species ('kind, form') + facere ('to make').

non Latin species Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# nonspecific

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌnɑnspɪˈsɪfɪk/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌnɒnspɪˈsɪfɪk/

## Meanings
1. not specific; vague or not limited to a particular cause or type

## Examples
- The patient reported nonspecific symptoms that resisted any clear diagnosis.

## Synonyms
- general
- vague
- broad
- indefinite
- generic
- unspecific

## Antonyms
- specific
- particular
- definite

## Related Forms
- specific
- species
- specify

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: non
- Root: species

## Etymology
From non- ('not') + specific, from Late Latin specificus, from Latin species ('kind, form') + facere ('to make').

## AI Etymology
Nonspecific comes from non- ('not') + specific, from Late Latin specificus, from Latin species ('kind, form') + facere ('to make'). The prefix supplies the first semantic turn, while the base carries the lexical core of the word. As an adjective, it carries the sense "not specific; vague or not limited to a particular cause or type", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Latin non and Latin species. Related words include specific, species, specify.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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