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
For instance, it’s estimated that colonoscopy can have 95% sensitivity and up to 89% specificity.
—
Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 27 May 2026
In discussions with our editorial board, Eaton spoke with specificity about what gets California schools into trouble.
—East Bay Times Editorial Board, Mercury News, 27 May 2026
Pair specificity with brevity and watch your reply rate climb.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
The specificity ends there, which is why the subcategories matter.
—Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for specificity
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Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 27 May 2026
In discussions with our editorial board, Eaton spoke with specificity about what gets California schools into trouble.
—East Bay Times Editorial Board, Mercury News, 27 May 2026
Pair specificity with brevity and watch your reply rate climb.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
The specificity ends there, which is why the subcategories matter.
—Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 27 May 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 3 Jun. 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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