downspec

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verb

To reduce the performance of (a product) by giving it inferior specifications.

“Coordinate term: upspec”

Scrabble 16
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Meanings

verbdownspec (third-person singular simple present downspecs or downspec's, present participle downspecing or downspec'ing or downspeccing, simple past and past participle downspeced or downspec'd or downspec'ed or downspecced)

present singular third person downspecs · present singular third person downspec's · participle present downspecing · participle present downspec'ing · participle present downspeccing · participle past downspeced · past downspeced · participle past downspec'd · past downspec'd · participle past downspec'ed · past downspec'ed · participle past downspecced · past downspecced

  1. transitiveTo reduce the performance of (a product) by giving it inferior specifications.

    Coordinate term: upspec

    1 more example

    You're right there. Actually the original spec Audi S3 was faster than the top TT (same engine, but better aerodynamics) and the Audi marketing dept made them downspec the S3's engine, because they didn't want a hatchback being faster than the sportscar. Gawd I hate marketing people....

    2000 January 22, Richard T, “Groups”, in alt.autos.audi (Usenet)

Origin

From down- + spec.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

downspec. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/downspec

MLA

“downspec.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/downspec. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “downspec,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/downspec.

Source: downspec on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.