| spec | (noun) a detailed description of design criteria for a piece of work | Synonyms: specification |
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| special | (adjective) for a special service or occasion | - |
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| (adjective) first and most important | Synonyms: particular |
| (adjective) adapted to or reserved for a particular purpose | - |
| (adjective) having a specific function or scope | Synonyms: limited |
| (adjective) surpassing what is common or usual or expected | Synonyms: especial, exceptional, particular |
| (adjective) added to a regular schedule | Synonyms: extra |
| (adjective) unique or specific to a person or thing or category | Synonyms: particular, peculiar |
| (noun) a special offering (usually temporary and at a reduced price) that is featured in advertising | - |
| (noun) a television production that features a particular person or work or topic | - |
| (noun) a dish or meal given prominence in e.g. a restaurant | - |
| specialisation | (noun) the special line of work you have adopted as your career | Synonyms: specialism, speciality, specialization, specialty |
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| (noun) the act of specializing; making something suitable for a special purpose | Synonyms: specialization |
| (noun) (biology) the structural adaptation of some body part for a particular function | Synonyms: differentiation, specialization |
| specialise | (verb) become more focused on an area of activity or field of study | Synonyms: narrow, narrow down, specialize |
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| (verb) suit to a special purpose | Synonyms: specialize |
| (verb) evolve so as to lead to a new species or develop in a way most suited to the environment | Synonyms: differentiate, specialize, speciate |
| (verb) be specific about | Synonyms: particularise, particularize, specialize, specify |
| (verb) devote oneself to a special area of work | Synonyms: specialize |
| specialised | (adjective) developed or designed for a special activity or function | Synonyms: specialized |
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| specialiser | (noun) an expert who is devoted to one occupation or branch of learning | Synonyms: specialist, specializer |
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| specialism | (noun) the special line of work you have adopted as your career | Synonyms: specialisation, speciality, specialization, specialty |
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| (noun) the concentration of your efforts on a particular field of study or occupation | - |
| specialist | (noun) an expert who is devoted to one occupation or branch of learning | Synonyms: specialiser, specializer |
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| (noun) practices one branch of medicine | Synonyms: medical specialist |
| specialistic | (adjective) of or related to or characteristic of specialists | - |
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| (adjective) showing focused training | - |
| speciality | (noun) the special line of work you have adopted as your career | Synonyms: specialisation, specialism, specialization, specialty |
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| (noun) a distinguishing trait | Synonyms: distinctiveness, peculiarity, specialness, specialty |
| (noun) an asset of special worth or utility | Synonyms: forte, long suit, metier, specialty, strength, strong point, strong suit |
| specialization | (noun) the special line of work you have adopted as your career | Synonyms: specialisation, specialism, speciality, specialty |
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| (noun) the act of specializing; making something suitable for a special purpose | Synonyms: specialisation |
| (noun) (biology) the structural adaptation of some body part for a particular function | Synonyms: differentiation, specialisation |
| specialize | (verb) become more focused on an area of activity or field of study | Synonyms: narrow, narrow down, specialise |
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| (verb) suit to a special purpose | Synonyms: specialise |
| (verb) evolve so as to lead to a new species or develop in a way most suited to the environment | Synonyms: differentiate, specialise, speciate |
| (verb) be specific about | Synonyms: particularise, particularize, specialise, specify |
| (verb) devote oneself to a special area of work | Synonyms: specialise |
| specialized | (adjective) developed or designed for a special activity or function | Synonyms: specialised |
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| specializer | (noun) an expert who is devoted to one occupation or branch of learning | Synonyms: specialiser, specialist |
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| specially | (adverb) to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common | Synonyms: especially, particularly, peculiarly |
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| (adverb) in a special manner | Synonyms: especially |
| specialness | (noun) a distinguishing trait | Synonyms: distinctiveness, peculiarity, speciality, specialty |
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| (noun) the quality of being particular and pertaining to a specific case or instance | Synonyms: particularity |
| specialty | (noun) the special line of work you have adopted as your career | Synonyms: specialisation, specialism, speciality, specialization |
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| (noun) a distinguishing trait | Synonyms: distinctiveness, peculiarity, speciality, specialness |
| (noun) an asset of special worth or utility | Synonyms: forte, long suit, metier, speciality, strength, strong point, strong suit |
| speciate | (verb) evolve so as to lead to a new species or develop in a way most suited to the environment | Synonyms: differentiate, specialise, specialize |
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| speciation | (noun) the evolution of a biological species | - |
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| specie | (noun) coins collectively | Synonyms: coinage, metal money, mintage |
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| species | (noun) a specific kind of something | - |
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| (noun) (biology) taxonomic group whose members can interbreed | - |
| specifiable | (adjective) capable of being specified | - |
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| specific | (adjective) (sometimes followed by `to') applying to or characterized by or distinguishing something particular or special or unique | - |
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| (adjective) being or affecting a disease produced by a particular microorganism or condition; used also of stains or dyes used in making microscope slides | - |
| (adjective) relating to or distinguishing or constituting a taxonomic species | - |
| (adjective) stated explicitly or in detail | - |
| (noun) a medicine that has a mitigating effect on a specific disease | - |
| (noun) a fact about some part (as opposed to general) | Synonyms: particular |
| specifically | (adverb) in distinction from others | - |
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| specification | (noun) a restriction that is insisted upon as a condition for an agreement | Synonyms: stipulation |
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| (noun) a detailed description of design criteria for a piece of work | Synonyms: spec |
| (noun) naming explicitly | - |
| (noun) (patent law) a document drawn up by the applicant for a patent of invention that provides an explicit and detailed description of the nature and use of an invention | - |
| specificity | (noun) the quality of being specific rather than general | - |
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| (noun) the quality of being specific to a particular organism | - |
| specified | (adjective) clearly and explicitly stated | - |
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| specifier | (noun) someone who draws up specifications giving details (as for obtaining a patent) | - |
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| specify | (verb) design or destine | Synonyms: designate, destine, intend |
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| (verb) define clearly | Synonyms: nail down, narrow, narrow down, peg down, pin down |
| (verb) select something or someone for a specific purpose | Synonyms: assign, set apart |
| (verb) be specific about | Synonyms: particularise, particularize, specialise, specialize |
| (verb) decide upon or fix definitely | Synonyms: define, determine, fix, limit, set |
| (verb) specify as a condition or requirement in a contract or agreement; make an express demand or provision in an agreement | Synonyms: condition, qualify, stipulate |
| (verb) determine the essential quality of | Synonyms: define, delimit, delimitate, delineate |
| specimen | (noun) a bit of tissue or blood or urine that is taken for diagnostic purposes | - |
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| (noun) an example regarded as typical of its class | - |
| specious | (adjective) plausible but false | Synonyms: spurious |
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| (adjective) based on pretense; deceptively pleasing | Synonyms: gilded, glossy, meretricious |
| speciously | (adverb) in a specious manner | - |
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| speciousness | (noun) an appearance of truth that is false or deceptive; seeming plausibility | Synonyms: meretriciousness |
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| speck | (noun) a very small spot | Synonyms: pinpoint |
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| (noun) a slight but appreciable amount | Synonyms: hint, jot, mite, pinch, soupcon, tinge, touch |
| (noun) (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything | Synonyms: atom, corpuscle, molecule, mote, particle |
| (verb) produce specks in or on | - |
| specked | (adjective) having a pattern of dots | Synonyms: dotted, flecked, speckled, stippled |
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| speckle | (noun) a small contrasting part of something | Synonyms: dapple, fleck, maculation, patch, spot |
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| (verb) mark with small spots | Synonyms: bespeckle |
| (verb) produce a mottled effect | Synonyms: stipple |
| speckled | (adjective) having a pattern of dots | Synonyms: dotted, flecked, specked, stippled |
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| speckless | (adjective) completely neat and clean | Synonyms: immaculate, spic-and-span, spic, spick-and-span, spick, spotless |
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| specs | (noun) (plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision | Synonyms: eyeglasses, glasses, spectacles |
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| spectacle | (noun) a blunder that makes you look ridiculous; used in the phrase `make a spectacle of' yourself | - |
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| (noun) an elaborate and remarkable display on a lavish scale | - |
| (noun) something or someone seen (especially a notable or unusual sight) | - |
| spectacled | (adjective) wearing, or having the face adorned with, eyeglasses or an eyeglass | Synonyms: bespectacled, monocled |
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| spectacles | (noun) (plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision | Synonyms: eyeglasses, glasses, specs |
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| spectacular | (adjective) having a quality that thrusts itself into attention | Synonyms: outstanding, prominent, salient, striking |
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| (adjective) characteristic of spectacles or drama | - |
| (adjective) sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect | Synonyms: dramatic, striking |
| (noun) a lavishly produced performance | - |
| spectacularly | (adverb) in a spectacular manner | Synonyms: stunningly |
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| spectate | (verb) be a spectator in a sports event | - |
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| spectator | (noun) a woman's pump with medium heel; usually in contrasting colors for toe and heel | Synonyms: spectator pump |
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| (noun) a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind) | Synonyms: looker, viewer, watcher, witness |
| specter | (noun) a mental representation of some haunting experience | Synonyms: ghost, shade, spectre, spook, wraith |
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| (noun) a ghostly appearing figure | Synonyms: apparition, fantasm, phantasm, phantasma, phantom, spectre |
| spectinomycin | (noun) an antibiotic used to treat gonorrhea | - |
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| spectral | (adjective) of or relating to a spectrum | - |
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| (adjective) resembling or characteristic of a phantom | Synonyms: apparitional, ghostlike, ghostly, phantasmal, spiritual |
| spectrality | (noun) Quality of being spectral or ghostly. | - |
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| spectre | (noun) a mental representation of some haunting experience | Synonyms: ghost, shade, specter, spook, wraith |
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| (noun) a ghostly appearing figure | Synonyms: apparition, fantasm, phantasm, phantasma, phantom, specter |
| spectrogram | (noun) a photographic record of a spectrum | Synonyms: spectrograph |
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| spectrograph | (noun) a spectroscope by which spectra can be photographed | - |
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| (noun) a photographic record of a spectrum | Synonyms: spectrogram |
| spectrographic | (adjective) relating to or employing a spectrograph | - |
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| spectrographically | (adverb) by spectrographic means | - |
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| spectrometer | (noun) spectroscope for obtaining a mass spectrum by deflecting ions into a thin slit and measuring the ion current with an electrometer | Synonyms: mass spectrometer |
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| spectrometric | (adjective) of or relating to or involving spectrometry | - |
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| spectrometry | (noun) the use of spectroscopes to analyze spectra | Synonyms: spectrographic analysis, spectroscopic analysis, spectroscopy, spectrum analysis |
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| spectrophotometer | (noun) a photometer for comparing two light radiations wavelength by wavelength | - |
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| spectroscope | (noun) an optical instrument for spectrographic analysis | Synonyms: prism spectroscope |
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| spectroscopic | (adjective) of or relating to or involving spectroscopy | Synonyms: spectroscopical |
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| spectroscopical | (adjective) of or relating to or involving spectroscopy | Synonyms: spectroscopic |
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| spectroscopy | (noun) the use of spectroscopes to analyze spectra | Synonyms: spectrographic analysis, spectrometry, spectroscopic analysis, spectrum analysis |
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| spectrum | (noun) a broad range of related objects or values or qualities or ideas or activities | - |
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| (noun) an ordered array of the components of an emission or wave | - |
| specular | (adjective) capable of reflecting light like a mirror | Synonyms: mirrorlike |
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| speculate | (verb) reflect deeply on a subject | Synonyms: chew over, contemplate, excogitate, meditate, mull, mull over, muse, ponder, reflect, ruminate, think over |
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| (verb) to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds | Synonyms: conjecture, hypothecate, hypothesise, hypothesize, suppose, theorise, theorize |
| (verb) talk over conjecturally, or review in an idle or casual way and with an element of doubt or without sufficient reason to reach a conclusion | - |
| (verb) invest at a risk | Synonyms: job |
| speculation | (noun) a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence) | Synonyms: conjecture |
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| (noun) continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature | Synonyms: meditation |
| (noun) a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence | Synonyms: conjecture, guess, hypothesis, supposition, surmisal, surmise |
| (noun) an investment that is very risky but could yield great profits | Synonyms: venture |
| speculative | (adjective) showing curiosity | Synonyms: inquisitive, questioning, wondering |
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| (adjective) not based on fact or investigation | Synonyms: notional |
| (adjective) not financially safe or secure | Synonyms: bad, high-risk, risky |
| speculatively | (adverb) with speculation; in a speculative manner | - |
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| speculativeness | (noun) the quality of being a conclusion or opinion based on supposition and conjecture rather than on fact or investigation | - |
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| (noun) financial risk | - |
| speculator | (noun) someone who risks losses for the possibility of considerable gains | Synonyms: plunger |
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| (noun) someone who makes conjectures without knowing the facts | - |
| speculum | (noun) a medical instrument for dilating a bodily passage or cavity in order to examine the interior | - |
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| (noun) a mirror (especially one made of polished metal) for use in an optical instrument | - |