spec
/ˈspɛk/
noun
Familiar
1.n.a detailed description of design criteria for a piece of work
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spec and speck are homophones: they are pronounced identically and spelled differently, which is why they are so often swapped. spec means “a detailed description of design criteria for a piece of work”. speck means “a very small spot”.
/ˈspɛk/
1.n.a detailed description of design criteria for a piece of work
/ˈspɛk/
1.n.a very small spot
“the plane was just a speck in the sky”
| spec | speck | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈspɛk/ | /ˈspɛk/ |
| Said | spek | spek |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 4 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun, verb |
| Senses | 1 | 4 |
| How common | Familiar | Familiar |
| Synonyms | specification | pinpoint |
Full entry for spec · Full entry for speck · More comparisons
2.n.(nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything
3.n.a slight but appreciable amount
“this dish could use a touch of garlic”