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specification

spess-ih-fih-KAY-shun /ˌspɛsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

nounB2IELTSTOEFL

formaltechnicalbusiness

A detailed description of the design and materials used to make something.

Specifications are the 'blueprints' of quality; they define exactly what is expected before production begins.

The story behind the word. The word comes from the idea of 'making a species' or 'making something specific'. It involves looking closely at the 'kind' of thing you want and writing down every detail so it can be replicated exactly.

Word relationships

requirement: A requirement is something that must be done; a specification is the detailed description of how it must be done.

generalization: A generalization is a broad statement, whereas a specification is highly detailed.

Commonly confused with

description: A description tells you what something looks like; a specification tells you how to make it.

Word family

specify (verb): To identify clearly and definitely.
specific (adjective): Clearly defined or identified.

Collocations

technical specification
meet the specification
detailed specification

Idioms & expressions

to spec

Example sentences

"The architect provided a detailed specification for the types of steel to be used in the bridge." Engineering
"The computer's specifications include 16GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive." Technology

Memory hook

A specification is a 'Special-Fiction'—a story about how a product should look before it actually exists. The detailed 'spec' of the species.

When not to use

Avoid using 'spec' (the common abbreviation) in very formal legal documents unless it is defined.

Fun facts

In the automotive industry, 'spec' can refer to the trim level of a car (e.g., base spec vs. high spec).
The first 'specifications' for building the Great Pyramid were likely carved into stone.