specify

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈspɛs.əˌfaɪ/ UK /ˈspɛs.ɪ.faɪ/ See IPA manual

Freq #22361

Meanings

1

verb
To state something clearly and exactly.

Please specify the size and color you want.
2

verb
To describe or explain something in detail.

Could you specify your criticism of my essay?

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

call clarifydisambiguateexplicitizename nominate particularize singularize specializespecificate

Opposites

generalize

Word family

Forms specifiedspecifiesspecifying

Derived forms above-specifiedmisspecifyoverspecifyprespecifyrespecifyspecifiabilitysubspecifyunderspecifyunspecify

Related forms specifiable specific specification

Etymology

From Middle English specifien, from Old French specifier, especefier, or directly from Medieval Latin specificō, from specificus (“specific”).

specifien Middle English specifier Old French specificō la-med

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# specify

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈspɛs.əˌfaɪ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈspɛs.ɪ.faɪ/
**Frequency rank:** 22361

## Meanings
1. To state something clearly and exactly.
2. To describe or explain something in detail.

## Examples
- Please specify the size and color you want.
- Could you specify your criticism of my essay?

## Synonyms
- call
- clarify
- disambiguate
- explicitize
- name
- nominate
- particularize
- singularize
- specialize
- specificate

## Antonyms
- generalize

## Derived Forms
- above-specified
- misspecify
- overspecify
- prespecify
- respecify
- specifiability
- subspecify
- underspecify
- unspecify

## Related Forms
- specifiable
- specific
- specification

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: specifien
- Root: specifier
- Root: specificō

## Etymology
From Middle English specifien, from Old French specifier, especefier, or directly from Medieval Latin specificō, from specificus (“specific”).

## AI Etymology
Specify is from Middle English specifien, from Old French specifier, especefier, or directly from Medieval Latin specificō, from specificus (“specific”). Important forms in the word's history include Middle English specifien, Old French specifier, la-med specificō. In current use it includes senses such as To state something clearly and exactly and To describe or explain something in detail.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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