# specs

/ˈspɛks/ (US) · /spˈɛks/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/specs
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. glasses

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal · British English

an informal word for glasses that you wear to see better.

For teachers: an informal clipping of 'spectacles', referring to corrective eyewear.

- I need to get my specs repaired because the frame is bent.
- He fumbled for his specs on the bedside table, unable to read the clock without the thick lenses.

Usage: Always used in the plural form when referring to eyewear.

Teaching tip: While understood globally, this is particularly common in British English; 'glasses' is the more neutral choice for learners.

### 3. to specify

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal · Technical

to write down or choose the exact details for a project.

For teachers: to provide or include specific technical requirements for a design or product.

- The architect usually specs high-quality wood for the floors.
- The client specs a very particular type of reinforced glass for the storefront, which significantly increased the overall budget.

Usage: This is the third-person singular form of the verb 'to spec'.

## Examples

- He cleaned his specs with a soft cloth.
- She adjusted her specs before reading the small print on the menu.
- The character's thick specs served as a visual shorthand for his intellectual rigidity, framing his eyes in a way that emphasized his detached, analytical gaze.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.