spezifizieren

Spezifizieren is a German verb meaning to specify, to describe in detail, or to designate exact characteristics, requirements, or conditions. It is commonly used in technical, scientific, legal, and administrative contexts to fix precise attributes of a concept, product, or process.

Etymology: The verb is derived from the noun Spezifikation (specification) and the adjective spezifisch (specific). It is formed with the derivational suffix -ieren, a common pattern for German verbs borrowed or reinforced from Latin-based terms (specificus) via the noun. The term has become widespread in modern German, particularly in technical language.

Usage: Spezifizieren is transitive and takes the thing being defined as the object, for example: eine Anforderung spezifizieren, das Datenformat spezifizieren. The aim is to move from a general description to a precise and unambiguous set of details. In practice, it often appears alongside synonyms such as präzisieren, definieren, festlegen, or festschreiben. In many industries, a Spezifikation documents these details.

Grammatik: It is a regular verb of the -ieren group. The participle perfect is spezifiziert, and the present tense forms follow the standard pattern of -ieren verbs. Noun related terms include die Spezifikation (specification) and der Spezifizierer (one who specifies), though the latter is relatively uncommon outside specialized contexts.

See also: Spezifikation, Spezifikationen, präzisieren, definieren, festlegen.