Standard Lemma guide

underspecification

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Inadequate specification; failure to specify in enough detail.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The underspecification of the project led to the development of software that was not fit for purpose.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A phenomenon in which certain features are omitted in underlying representations.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From under- + specification.

Across languages

Translations

1 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Hungarian: alulszabottság — linguistics: a phenomenon in which certain features are omitted in underlying representations