Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

overspecific

/ˌoʊvɚspɪˈsɪfɪk/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: o-ver-spe-cif-ic
IPA: /ˌoʊvɚspɪˈsɪfɪk/

24

Scrabble Score

12

Letters

5

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Too specific; with too much detail.

Example Sentences

"Moreover, the course in technical writing cannot be called narrow and overspecific inasmuch as the elements composing it remain constant, and the training which it gives the students is of permanent value regardless of any advance in engineering science."
"Rorschach confabulations can be excessively broad or narrow in scope. They might involve the unfolding of a dramatic elaboration or a lengthy tangential or circumstantial commentary, on the one hand; or they may be crisply overspecific, on the other."
"However, it is important to understand that overgeneral and overspecific rules can emerge and play a role in solving both clean and noisy problems."

Etymology

From over- + specific.

Word Breakdown

Prefix: over

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˌoʊvɚspɪˈsɪfɪk/
British English: /ˌəʊvəspɪˈsɪfɪk/

Inflected Forms

more overspecific (comparative) most overspecific (superlative)

Frequently Paired Words

overspecificity

Rhymes With

-ific signific biospecific stonerific spumific carbonific hipsterific crapperific trispecific inspecific nanospecific panspecific

Questions

How do you pronounce overspecific?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˌoʊvɚspɪˈsɪfɪk/.
What does overspecific mean?: Too specific; with too much detail.
Where does overspecific come from?: From over- + specific.

How to pronounce overspecific

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “overspecific”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌoʊvɚspɪˈsɪfɪk/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “overspecific”.
Repeat and practice — Say “overspecific” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.