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
An accurate screening test should have a near-zero rate of false positives and a high level of specificity.
—
Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 8 Sep. 2025
What resonated with people [with Mare] was the specificity and the sense of place.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025
In this one, the question of whose voice the narrative belonged to—how much agency that voice held, and which tactics best used for both the specificity and the capacity for surprise regarding the piece’s protagonists, without slowing the narrative down—was pretty challenging.
—Willing Davidson, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2025
Guys in Plaid Shirts But the film’s specificity, rooted in Levack’s own youthful experiences, is key to its charm.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for specificity
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Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 8 Sep. 2025
What resonated with people [with Mare] was the specificity and the sense of place.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025
In this one, the question of whose voice the narrative belonged to—how much agency that voice held, and which tactics best used for both the specificity and the capacity for surprise regarding the piece’s protagonists, without slowing the narrative down—was pretty challenging.
—Willing Davidson, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2025
Guys in Plaid Shirts But the film’s specificity, rooted in Levack’s own youthful experiences, is key to its charm.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 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 17 Sep. 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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