Specifies

How to spell specifies

9 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce specifies

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does specifies mean?

1. verbStates or names something clearly and in precise detail.

Specifies in a sentence

• The contract specifies a delivery date of the first of March.

• The recipe specifies exactly how much flour each batch needs.

Where does specifies come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word descends from the Latin specificus, meaning 'of a particular kind', which was built from species, meaning 'a kind, type, or appearance', and the verb facere, meaning 'to make'. The base verb 'specify' reached English in the 1300s through Old French specifier, carrying the sense of naming or setting down something precisely so that one particular kind is singled out from the rest. The same species root sits inside everyday words like 'special' and 'species' itself, all sharing the idea of a distinct sort that can be picked out by looking closely. The form 'specifies' is simply the third-person singular, where the final 'y' of 'specify' turns into 'ies', which is the exact spot writers tend to stumble. Remembering that the verb is 'specify' and follows the regular consonant-plus-y rule explains why the ending becomes '-ies' rather than '-ys'.

How the word is built

• speci- (from Latin species: kind, type)
• -fy (from facere: to make)
• -es (third-person singular)