a detailed description of design criteria for a piece of work
"The architect submitted a comprehensive spec outlining every material and dimension required for the new library renovation."
Clipping of specification.
"The conservation report lists several bird species marked as spec to highlight their immediate risk of extinction in Europe."
Initialism of Species of European Conservation Concern.
In plain English: A spec is an informal guess about what something will be based on limited information.
"We need to discuss every spec before we can start work on the project."
To specify, especially in a formal specification document.
"The engineer spec'd out every component of the new bridge to ensure it met all safety standards."
In plain English: To spec means to guess what something will be based on your best judgment without having all the facts yet.
"Before buying the new phone, I need to check out all the latest specs online."
Usage: Use this verb when formally defining specific requirements or parameters within technical documents and engineering projects. It is often interchangeable with "define," but implies a more rigorous adherence to established standards than general description.