Origin: Latin suffix -tion
Specification has 5 different meanings across 1 category:
a detailed description of design criteria for a piece of work
"The engineer spent all afternoon reviewing the technical specification to ensure every component met the strict design criteria before production began."
naming explicitly
"The engineer wrote down every specification for the new engine so there would be no confusion about its dimensions and weight limits."
(patent law) a document drawn up by the applicant for a patent of invention that provides an explicit and detailed description of the nature and use of an invention
"After months of drafting, the inventor finally submitted her specification to detail exactly how her new solar panel technology worked."
a restriction that is insisted upon as a condition for an agreement
"The client refused to sign the contract until we agreed to their strict specification regarding the software's load time."
An explicit set of requirements to be satisfied by a material, product, or service.
"The engineer rejected the supplier's proposal because it failed to meet the thermal conductivity specification outlined in the contract."
In plain English: A specification is a clear list of requirements that something must meet to be considered correct or complete.
"The job description listed specific qualifications in the specification."
Usage: Use specification when referring to the detailed technical requirements that define how a product must be made or performed. It is often confused with description, but while a description explains what something looks like, a specification dictates exactly how it should function.
The word specification comes from the Old French term specification, which was borrowed into English via Medieval Latin. It originally referred to the act of defining or describing something in detail.