what are specimens
specimen A specimen is a sample of something, like a specimen of blood or body tissue that is taken for medical testing. The noun specimen comes from the Latin word specere, meaning âto look.â Biologists collect specimens so they can get a better look at something to study it. The idea is that, with a good specimen, you can learn about an entire group: it's a good representation. That meaning is echoed in the slang use of specimen, a strong, healthy and attractive person.