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
Although both shows feature great performances given the (extremely challenging) circumstances, Jones’s quiet, precise, matter-of-fact work opposite the robot endows their scenes together with the virtuosic specificity of a seasoned miniaturist.
—
Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 10 July 2024
As such, Outputs that appear complete or accurate because of their detail or specificity may not be.
—Benj Edwards, Ars Technica, 6 June 2024
The change reframes the story as a broader sci-fi narrative, taking away from the ’90s anime’s space-western specificity.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 31 May 2024
The convertibles allow Annan to zip around the Mississippi Delta — and Dallas, which pretty well obliterates the regional specificity — looking in on real people whose lives mirror the storylines from P-Valley.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for specificity 
Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 10 July 2024
As such, Outputs that appear complete or accurate because of their detail or specificity may not be.
—Benj Edwards, Ars Technica, 6 June 2024
The change reframes the story as a broader sci-fi narrative, taking away from the ’90s anime’s space-western specificity.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 31 May 2024
The convertibles allow Annan to zip around the Mississippi Delta — and Dallas, which pretty well obliterates the regional specificity — looking in on real people whose lives mirror the storylines from P-Valley.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for specificity
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'specificity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near specificity
Cite this Entry
“Specificity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/specificity. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.
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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