specified
UK: ˈspesɪfaɪd | US: ˈspesəˌfaɪd
adj. clearly defined or identified
vt. past tense of "specify" – to state or describe something clearly and precisely
The word "specified" originates from Latin specere (to look at), which evolved into species (appearance, kind) and later specificus (precise). The morpheme spec retains the core idea of "seeing" or "observing," while -ify (from Latin -ficare, meaning "to make") transforms it into an action ("to make clear"). The suffix -ed marks it as past tense or adjectival. The progression reflects a shift from visual observation to precise verbal definition.
The contract specified the exact delivery date.
Only specified personnel may access the lab.
She specified her preferences in the survey.
The instructions were clearly specified in the manual.
The law specified penalties for non-compliance.