nonspecific

See also: non-specific

English

Alternative forms

• non-specific

Etymology

From non- +‎ specific.

Adjective

nonspecific (not comparable)

1. Not specific or precise, as:
   1. (medicine, of a symptom or other finding) Not specific to one possible cause; caused by any of various possible causes.

      Antonym: pathognomonic

      Coordinate term: assident

      See also: nonspecific symptom, specificity

   2. (medicine, of an antimicrobial) Not specific to one pathogen; affecting multiple strains or species of pathogen.

      Hypernym: broad-spectrum

   3. (medicine, of an infection) Not known to be caused by any specific pathogen.

      Coordinate terms: cryptogenic, nonfocal

   4. (medicine, of a person's immunity) Not caused by previous infection or vaccination, and/or affecting more than one antigen.

      Coordinate term: crossreactive

   5. (medicine, of a stain in microscopy) That does not just stain one type of tissue.

Synonyms

• unspecific (less common), inspecific (much less common)

Derived terms

• nonspecificity