specification

American  

[spes-uh-fi-key-shuhn] / ˌspɛs ə fɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of specifying.

2. Usually specifications.

   1. a detailed description or assessment of requirements, dimensions, materials, etc., as of a proposed building, machine, bridge, etc.

   2. Computers. a detailed description of the hardware installed, including the memory capacity, processor speed, and graphics card model.

3. a particular item, aspect, calculation, etc., in such a description.

4. something specified, as in a bill of particulars; a specified particular, item, or article.

   Synonyms:

   qualification, condition, requirement

5. an act of making specific.

6. the state of having a specific character.

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specification British  

/ ˌspɛsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of specifying

2. (in patent law) a written statement accompanying an application for a patent that describes the nature of an invention

3. a detailed description of the criteria for the constituents, construction, appearance, performance, etc, of a material, apparatus, etc, or of the standard of workmanship required in its manufacture

4. an item, detail, etc, specified

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Other Word Forms

• nonspecification noun
• prespecification noun
• respecification noun
• superspecification noun

Etymology

Origin of specification

First recorded in 1605–15; from Medieval Latin specificātiōn- (stem of specificātiō ), equivalent to specificāt(us) (past participle of specificāre “to mention, describe”; specific, -ate ¹ ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

There are minimum height and length specifications for the jump to be Olympic standard.

From BBC

Judging competitiveness in testing is always difficult because there are so many variables and teams do not reveal the specification in which they run their cars.

From BBC

Headline lap times in testing are notoriously unreliable as indicators of form as the specification in which the cars are running is not made public.

From BBC

No U.S. factory can meet my specifications for handmade products in the small quantities I need.

From The Wall Street Journal

But storing the finished version of the products, such as rare earth magnets, presents its own issues because product specifications evolve.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• blueprint
• spec
• stipulation