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
There’s no specificity, no immersive sense of people actually living their lives.
—
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
But Magoutas’ choices also help create a sense of specificity for the two protagonists and their growing friendship.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 29 Jan. 2026
Internet culture is ubiquitous in contemporary life and dating—but, by virtue of serving millions of people at once, even the most niche internet trends and references also often lack specificity.
—Vrinda Jagota, Pitchfork, 29 Jan. 2026
The lack of specificity has led to questions locally about whether immigration enforcement could be part of the federal role, despite the department’s long-standing involvement in large-scale event security.
—Grace Hase, Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for specificity
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Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
But Magoutas’ choices also help create a sense of specificity for the two protagonists and their growing friendship.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 29 Jan. 2026
Internet culture is ubiquitous in contemporary life and dating—but, by virtue of serving millions of people at once, even the most niche internet trends and references also often lack specificity.
—Vrinda Jagota, Pitchfork, 29 Jan. 2026
The lack of specificity has led to questions locally about whether immigration enforcement could be part of the federal role, despite the department’s long-standing involvement in large-scale event security.
—Grace Hase, Mercury News, 29 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 2 Feb. 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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