SPECIMEN
specimen
(noun) a bit of tissue or blood or urine that is taken for diagnostic purposes; “they collected a urine specimen for urinalysis”
specimen
(noun) an example regarded as typical of its class
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
specimen (plural specimens or specimina)
An individual instance that represents a class; an example.
A sample, especially one used for diagnostic analysis.
(humorous, often preceded with “fine”) An eligible man.
Synonyms
• sample
• individual
Source: Wiktionary
Spec"i*men, n. Etym: [L., fr. specere to look, to behold. See Spy.]
Definition: A part, or small portion, of anything, or one of a number of
things, intended to exhibit the kind and quality of the whole, or of
what is not exhibited; a sample; as, a specimen of a man's
handwriting; a specimen of painting; aspecimen of one's art.
Syn.
– Sample; model; pattern.
– Specimen, Sample. A specimen is a representative of the class of
things to which it belongs; as, a specimen of photography. A sample
is a part of the thing itself, designed to show the quality of the
whole; as, a sample of sugar or of broadcloth. A cabinet of minerals
consists of specimens; if a part be broken off from any one of these,
it is a sample of the mineral to which it belongs. "Several persons
have exhibited specimens of this art before multitudes of beholders."
Addison. "I design this but for a sample of what I hope more fully to
discuss." Woodward.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition