spec

"Spec" is a common short form of "specification." Once you know that, the word becomes much easier to understand. It does not mean just any detail. It usually means a clear and exact description of the features, measurements, standards, or requirements for something, whether that thing is a product, a building, a project, or a piece of software.

The word is especially common in technical work. In engineering, manufacturing, and construction, people use it when they need something built or checked in an exact way. If a part is made "to spec," it matches the required standard. In software, a spec may explain what a new feature should do, how it should behave, and what rules it must follow. When people shop for a computer, phone, or camera, they often say "specs" to mean the device's technical details, such as processor speed, memory, screen size, or battery life.

Context matters. Most of the time, the word points to official requirements or technical details, but people sometimes use it more loosely for the features they want. For example, "This car isn't really my spec" can mean it does not match someone's preferred style or features, especially in British English. Overall, the idea behind the word is consistency and precision: it tells you what something should be like, or it names the key details that help you judge it.