How to Pronounce Specific

To pronounce "specific", say spec-IF-ic — 3 syllables, IPA /spəˈsɪfɪk/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

specific

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

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3

Syllables

8

Letters

/spəˈsɪfɪk/

🇺🇸 IPA (US)

/spəsˈɪfɪk/

🇬🇧 IPA (UK)

💡 Tip for remembering “specific”

Break "specific" into 3 beats and lean on "IF" — that's the stressed one. It rhymes with terrific and prolific, if that helps it stick.

What does specific mean?

noun

  1. A distinguishing attribute or quality.
  2. A remedy for a specific disease or condition.

adjective

  1. Explicit or definite
  2. Pertaining to a species.

Synonyms

expressmonosemousunambiguouspeculiarsingular

Antonyms

broadgeneralgenericuniversalnonspecificunspecific

Hear “specific” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with specific

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

terrificprolifichorrificscientifichonorifichieroglyphicintraspecificnonspecificunscientificpseudoscientifictranspacificautopacific

Related words

specifiedspecialparticularcircumstantialproperuniquelimitedpeculiar

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "specific"?▾

"Specific" has 3 syllables: spec · if · ic.

What is the IPA transcription of "specific"?▾

The IPA transcription of "specific" is /spəˈsɪfɪk/.

What does "specific" mean?▾

Specific: A distinguishing attribute or quality.

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