specification

American  

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

noun

• specifications
  plural

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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• specifications
  plural

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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”; see specific, -ate ¹) + -iōn- -ion

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Explanation

We sometimes call them "specs," but a specification has no relationship to eyeglasses! Instead, it is an explicit detail of a design, presenting the exact way something specific must be constructed. For example, blueprints contain the specifications for a building. In the 17th century, the word specification emerged with the meaning of giving something a specific quality. The technical meaning, applied to building and engineering plans, developed in the late 18th century. The meaning of the word is precise, referring to specific plans, although just because it's a specification doesn't mean it is accurate. Science-fiction writer Robert Heinlein once had his character Lazarus Long make the comment, "An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

specification specifications

Mercedes went to Austin with both cars in the new upgraded specification that had proved unconvincing, to say the least, when it made its debut in Malaysia two races ago.

From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026

Tech commentator Matt Robb reported that Muse gave a would-be buyer of an item he posted for sale a price below his specification and gave the buyer his home address.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

CoreWeave looks like “the company that can deliver significant GPU capacity on time and at spec,” he said, referring to specification, which indicates a chip’s task and performance.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

Our example, upfitted with the Launch Package specification, did just that, ripping away from red lights like a spooked tarpon, and me just hanging on.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 27, 2026

Having absorbed Lawrence’s confidence that further efficiencies eventually would be achieved, Groves reduced the specification for Y-12 to five hundred tanks, or five racetracks.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Asked Monday about Sunday's reported test, Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson Jang Do-young said South Korea and the United States were "closely coordinating and conducting a highly detailed analysis of its characteristics and specifications".

From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026

Eventually, the cabinets were designed and built with plywood to precise specifications by a team of carpenters.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

They are made to order to the specifications of the customer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

But even keeping that in mind, some would argue that these bots are customizable enough that you could hack and change them anyway to your preferred specifications, like using first-person pronouns.

From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2026

So Scoob packed up according to Dad’s specifications three days before they were supposed to depart.

From "Clean Getaway" by Nic Stone

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Related Words

• blueprint
• spec
• stipulation

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