spec

noun \ ˈspek \

Updated on: 11 Apr 2018

Definition of spec

1 : specification —usually used in plural; also : a single quantity (such as a dimension or a measure of performance) describing a product especially as part of a specification

2 : speculation

built the house on spec

See spec defined for English-language learners

See spec defined for kids

Examples of spec in a Sentence

parts built according to spec

Recent Examples of spec from the Web

Wearing glasses and a sheet mask at the same time is straight up uncomfortable, and your specs wind up getting all goop-y and slipping off of your face every few seconds.

— zoë weiner, Teen Vogue, "Zendaya Shares Face Mask and Glasses Selfie on Instagram," 4 Apr. 2018
Has 440 motor built to 1970 specs per previous owner.

— dakota crawford, Indianapolis Star, "You can buy Adam Vinatieri's 1971 Dodge Charger," 3 Apr. 2018
Aside from their differences in specs and size, Garmin's dash cam has the benefit of voice commands, while Yi's camera doesn't have any voice functionality.

— valentina palladino, Ars Technica, "Guidemaster: The best dash cams worthy of a permanent place in your car," 12 Mar. 2018
The crew-cab (SuperCrew in Ford-speak) truck tested here, by contrast, is sparsely optioned, wearing humble XLT spec and cloth bucket seats.

— alexander stoklosa, Car and Driver, "2018 Ford F-150 2.7L EcoBoost V-6 4x2 SuperCrew," 9 Mar. 2018
Ives expects Apple to continue its strategy of releasing three new phones in the fall, two with the shape and specs of the iPhone X, and a smaller, less expensive model to replace the iPhone 8.

— jefferson graham, USA TODAY, "Apple iPhone X strategy stumbles but higher prices likely kept sales afloat," 30 Jan. 2018
The entire job—from design consultation to manufacturing specs and installation—takes one to four weeks, enough time to purge the old and get ready for the new.

— nicky cirone, ELLE Decor, "Closet Case," 5 July 2012
This test and spec sheet will tell you if your PC can handle VR.

— jeffrey van camp, WIRED, "The HTC Vive Just Got a Big Price Cut," 19 Mar. 2018
This was essentially the little movie that could; the journey from purchasing the spec in October 2016 to releasing the film in January 2018 is a very short one.

— adrienne westenfeld, Esquire, "The Women Behind The Post Discuss the Importance of Katherine Graham's Story," 28 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spec.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of spec

by alteration

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1926

See Words from the same year

spec

verb

Definition of spec

specced or spec'd play \ˈspekt\; speccing

transitive verb

: to write specifications for

Recent Examples of spec from the Web

For details on features, pricing or to spec out your own, go to http://bit.ly/2019Ram1500 Going long Among the most significant changes in the 2019 Ram 1500 is the four-inch extension of crew cabs.

— jeff yip, Houston Chronicle, "Ram scores first strike as roomier, cushier all-new 2019 Ram 1500 begins shipping," 26 Mar. 2018
Buyers can no longer spec the slightly less powerful 333-hp version of this engine, and the rest of the A6’s powertrain carries over without any changes.

— michael simari, Car and Driver, "2018 Audi A6," 22 Mar. 2018