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
Audiences started tuning their ears to specificity.
—
Remy Blumenfeld, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2025
That means explaining, with specificity, how working from home enables better focus, faster execution, or higher-quality output—and how these benefits help the team or organization perform better overall.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2025
As Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak reminds us, any meaningful engagement must contend with internal difference, historical specificity, and political complexity.
—JSTOR Daily, 11 Oct. 2025
For instance, while many people in both Mexico and Chile speak Spanish, the specificities of the dialogue in both places differs.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for specificity
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Remy Blumenfeld, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2025
That means explaining, with specificity, how working from home enables better focus, faster execution, or higher-quality output—and how these benefits help the team or organization perform better overall.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2025
As Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak reminds us, any meaningful engagement must contend with internal difference, historical specificity, and political complexity.
—JSTOR Daily, 11 Oct. 2025
For instance, while many people in both Mexico and Chile speak Spanish, the specificities of the dialogue in both places differs.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for specificity
Cite this Entry
“Specificity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/specificity. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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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