specificity
noun
spec·i·fic·i·ty
ˌspe-sə-ˈfi-sə-tē 
: the quality or condition of being specific: such as
a
: the condition of being peculiar to a particular individual or group of organisms
host specificity of a parasite
b
: the condition of participating in or catalyzing only one or a few chemical reactions
the specificity of an enzyme
Examples of specificity in a Sentence
I was impressed by the specificity of her instructions.
the specificity of your description of your medical condition was a bit more than I needed
Recent Examples on the Web
Geothermal energy solutions have been around for a while, though, and have been marred by location specificity, high water usage, and high initial costs.
—
Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 22 Jan. 2026
This is a New Moon week that rewards specificity and embodiment.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 18 Jan. 2026
It was challenging because of the specificity a conductor must have.
—Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
Which is such a specificity of showing the psychic life of the character, building him from the inside-out and the outside-in.
—Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for specificity
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Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 22 Jan. 2026
This is a New Moon week that rewards specificity and embodiment.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 18 Jan. 2026
It was challenging because of the specificity a conductor must have.
—Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
Which is such a specificity of showing the psychic life of the character, building him from the inside-out and the outside-in.
—Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for specificity
Cite this Entry
“Specificity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/specificity. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
specificity
noun
spec·i·fic·i·ty
ˌspes-ə-ˈfis-ət-ē
: the quality or condition of being specific
especially
: the condition of taking part in or of acting as a catalyst in only one or a few chemical reactions
the specificity of an enzyme
Medical Definition
specificity
noun
spec·i·fic·i·ty
ˌspes-ə-ˈfis-ət-ē
plural specificities
: the quality or condition of being specific: as
a
: the condition of being peculiar to a particular individual or group of organisms
host specificity of a parasite
b
: the condition of participating in or catalyzing only one or a few chemical reactions
the specificity of an enzyme
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