spes-if-ik-AY-shuhn
/ˌspɛsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
specification is pronounced spes-if-ik-AY-shuhn (/ˌspɛsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/). Specification refers to a detailed, precise statement of the requirements, design criteria, or features of something. It clarifies exactly what is expected, including measurements, standards, and constraints, to guide development, testing, or procurement. In practice, a specification serves as a formal reference that reduces ambiguity and ensures consistency across teams and stages of a project.
Specification refers to a detailed, precise statement of the requirements, design criteria, or features of something. It clarifies exactly what is expected, including measurements, standards, and constraints, to guide development, testing, or procurement. In practice, a specification serves as a formal reference that reduces ambiguity and ensures consistency across teams and stages of a project.
"The engineering team reviewed the product specification before starting manufacturing."
"Her job was to write the specification for the new software module’s interfaces."
"We compared the device against the specification to verify it met all performance targets."
Pronunciation: /spɛsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/ (USUK: /spɛsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/; AU: /spɛsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/). Primary stress is on the fourth syllable: spec-i-fi-CA-tion. Start with /spɛs/ as in "press" + "spec" cluster, then /ɪ/ (short i) in the third syllable, followed by /ˈkeɪ/ (long a) in the fourth, and end with /ʃən/ (shun). Keep the /k/ clear before /eɪ/. Lip position: neutral to spread; tongue moves from the front-alveolar region for /s/ to the mid-front for /ɪ/, then the alveolar /t/ blends into /ʃ/ before /ən/. Audio reference: imagine saying 'spec' quickly, then lift into a bright /keɪ/ and finish with /ʃən/.”,[
Common errors include: 1) Tilting the stress too early, pronouncing /ˌspɛsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/ with incorrect emphasis; ensure the stress is clearly on -keɪʃən. 2) Slurring /fɪk/ into /fɪkɪ/ or misplacing the /k/ before /eɪ/ leading to /ˈfɪsˌeɪʃən/. 3) Omission of the unstressed schwa vowels in the middle syllables, producing a flattened /spɛsfɪˈkeɪʃən/ instead of the natural three-syllable flow. Correction tips: practice with separate syllables: /spɛs/ + /ɪ/ + /fɪ/ + /ˈkeɪ/ + /ʃən/, then speed up while maintaining the /keɪ/ stress. Listen to native speech and imitate the rhythm, ensuring the final syllable lands softly on /ən/.” ,[
US: rhotic: /spɛsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/ with a rhotic /r/ not present in this word; UK: /spesɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/ similar but might have a slightly reduced /ɪ/ in the second syllable; AU: /spɛsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/, often with a flatter intonation. The main difference is vowel quality and linking: US speakers may have tenser /ɪ/ in the second syllable; UK often reduces the first unstressed vowel slightly more; Australian tends toward a broader /e/ in some speakers, but in this word it remains /ɛ/ for 'spec'. Stress placement remains on the penultimate syllable (-keɪ-). Overall, differences are subtle: airiness and vowel length vary, but all keep the /keɪ/ strong. Include IPA for each variant and listen to local corpora for exact vowel realization.
Three main challenges: 1) The multi-syllabic structure with a late primary stress on -keɪʃən makes rhythm tricky; 2) The cluster transition from /f/ to /k/ requires a controlled pause or slight epenthesis to avoid blending into /fkeɪ/; 3) The /ˈkeɪ/ vowel is a lengthy, tense diphthong, demanding a clear, bright mouth position. Practicing with slow pace helps; emphasize the /keɪ/ by widening the jaw and rounding the lips slightly for the /eɪ/ glide, then relax into /ʃən/. Listening to native speakers and mimicking their stress, tempo, and vowel lengths will reduce these challenges.
A distinctive feature is the contrast between the first syllables /spɛsɪfɪ/ and the stressed /ˈkeɪʃən/. The transition from /f/ to /k/ must be precise; avoid merging /f/ with /k/. The /ɪ/ in the third syllable often reduces slightly, especially in rapid speech, but should remain audible to preserve the word’s integrity. Finally, keep the final /ʃən/ crisp but not overly forceful; the sh sound should glide into a soft, relaxed -ən ending. Practicing deliberate segmentation until the rhythm feels natural helps nail the word in fluency.
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US: rhoticity not critical here; vowels tend to be tenser; UK: slightly more clipped, non-rhotic; AU: broader vowel quality and less reduction in some unstressed vowels. Vowel notes: /ɛ/ in /spɛs/ is open-mid; /ɪ/ in /ɪ/ remains short; /eɪ/ in /keɪ/ is a prominent diphthong; /ə/ in final /ən/ is a schwa. IPA references: US /spɛsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/, UK /spɛsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/, AU /spɛsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/. Accent tips: practice with minimal pairs that stress contrasts, e.g., “spec” vs “speck” to feel the difference in /ɛ/ and /ɪ/; absorb intonation patterns by listening to newsreaders in respective regions.
Specification comes from the Late Latin word strictus, meaning “tight, bound,” combined with the Latin suffix -ficatio, from facere “to make.” The English term first appeared in the 15th century in legal and architectural contexts to denote precise statements of requirements. The root actus “a doing,” through -fic-, contributes the sense of making or shaping a precise statement. Over time, specification narrowed to technical contexts—standards, measurements, and features that define a product or system. The word’s modern sense—an exact, formal description that others must follow—emerged with the Industrial Revolution as complex products required clear interfaces and quality criteria. In today’s usage, you’ll see “specification” paired with singular count usage (a specification) and in plural form (the specifications) to reference multiple detailed requirements. The term is now common across engineering, software, manufacturing, and procurement domains, where clear specifications guard against scope creep and ensure testability and compliance.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "specification" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "specification"
-ion sounds
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