spec.

Writing & Everyday abbreviation · Grammar and Dictionary

spec. stands for Specifically, a grammar and dictionary abbreviation.

Narrows a definition to a particular technical or restricted application. The Oxford English Dictionary uses it heavily to introduce specialized subsenses of a broader meaning.

Example: vessel (n.) a hollow container for liquid; spec. a duct carrying blood in the body

Usage notes

Spec. differs from esp. (especially): esp. marks the most typical use, while spec. introduces a narrower, more precise sense. In everyday English, "spec" is a clipping of "specification" (a product spec) or "speculation" (built on spec), both unrelated to the dictionary label.

Related abbreviations

More grammar and dictionary abbreviations

• Scot. – Scottish
• sg – Singular (linguistic glossing)
• sing. – Singular
• Skt. – Sanskrit
• sl. – Slang
• Sp. – Spanish
• sth – Something
• subj. – Subject
• superl. – Superlative
• SVO – Subject-verb-object
• syn. – Synonym
• trans. – Transitive

See all 93 grammar and dictionary abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.