What does specify mean?
To specify means to state something clearly and exactly, especially a date, amount, condition, requirement, or detail that might otherwise be ambiguous. The verb is common in instructions, contracts, applications, technical documentation, and formal correspondence: a contract may specify a delivery date, or an application may specify a preferred method of contact. Its emphasis is on precision rather than simply providing information. When used with a particular noun, specify also means to identify the relevant item or person distinctly. The word can sound formal or exacting, which is useful when an instruction must leave little room for interpretation. It is closely related to specific and specification, all of which derive from the same Latin root. Overall, specify is valuable whenever accuracy, clarity, or the removal of ambiguity matters.
verbTo state or describe something in exact and definite terms. It can also mean to identify a particular person, thing, condition, or requirement precisely.
- To state or describe something in exact and definite terms.
- To identify or name a particular person, thing, condition, or requirement precisely.
"Please specify the date and time you would like to make the reservation."
"The contract specifies when the work must be completed."
"Applicants should specify any relevant qualifications in their application."
To specify is to remove ambiguity: naming the precise date, amount, condition, or requirement leaves no room for guesswork.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does specify come from?
Specify entered English in the early 16th century from the Latin specifīcare, meaning “to make specific” or “state in detail.” That verb was formed from speciēs, “appearance, kind, or sort,” a development associated with the Latin root spec-, meaning “to look at.” Its relatives include specific, specimen, species, and special, which likewise reflect the idea of appearance, kind, or distinguishing something.
Related word forms
How specify is actually used
Specify is common in formal and professional contexts, especially when instructions, agreements, requirements, or requests must be precise. In everyday speech, it can sound more emphatic or demanding than simply naming or mentioning something.
Easily confused with specify
Specify is a verb meaning to state something precisely, whereas specific is an adjective describing something defined or exact.