What does spec mean?
A spec is an informal, abbreviated form of “specification.” As a noun, it refers to a detailed statement of the features, requirements, design, or technical characteristics that something should have. In engineering, construction, software, product development, and related fields, a spec can serve as the formal reference against which work is planned or evaluated, although the abbreviated word itself often signals an informal working document rather than a contract. As a verb, “spec” means to specify those details: for example, a team may spec a machine or a feature before beginning development. The expression is concise and practical, but it can sound too casual for legal, academic, or highly formal prose. In those settings, “specification,” “requirements,” or “technical standard” is usually preferable.
An informal, abbreviated form of specification, referring to detailed requirements, design features, or technical characteristics of a product, system, or project.
"The revised spec includes a more demanding battery and a wider operating temperature."
Common in technical, engineering, design, product, and project discussions; more informal than “specification.”
To specify the requirements, features, or technical characteristics of something, especially before design, construction, or development.
"The engineers spec the device so that every component meets the safety requirements."
Informal and most common in technical and project-management contexts; formal writing generally prefers “specify.”
The plural is commonly written as “specs,” especially in phrases such as “tech specs.”
"The product specs list both the maximum weight and the battery life."
A spec may be informal shorthand, but in engineering and product design it can represent a precise agreement about what something must do.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does spec come from?
The abbreviation comes from “specification,” which was formed in English from Latin specere, meaning “to look at” or “to observe.” The same Latin root appears in words such as “species,” “spectacle,” and “inspection.” The shortened form “spec” became especially common in technical and industrial contexts, where designers and engineers refer to a specification as a “spec.”
Related word forms
How spec is actually used
The noun is informal and especially common in technical, engineering, design, product, and project discussions. As a verb, it is likewise informal but established in those fields; formal writing usually prefers "specify" or "set out the requirements for."