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
But McGee’s stories have always been charming in their maximalist exuberance and their nationalist specificity.
—
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 4 May 2026
Out of the jungle, in modern society, Thorne previously explored similar ideas with urgent specificity.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 4 May 2026
Granular insights That shift in emphasis was evident throughout the Q&A session, where Abel leaned into detailed discussions of Berkshire’s subsidiaries, a level of specificity that resonated with shareholders seeking reassurance about execution under new leadership.
—Yun Li,sarah Min, CNBC, 3 May 2026
This relativist turn in anthropology gained ground in succeeding decades, as the discipline became ever more attentive to the specificity of cultures, and increasingly wary of universal claims about the human condition.
—Glenn Adamson, Artforum, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for specificity
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Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 4 May 2026
Out of the jungle, in modern society, Thorne previously explored similar ideas with urgent specificity.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 4 May 2026
Granular insights That shift in emphasis was evident throughout the Q&A session, where Abel leaned into detailed discussions of Berkshire’s subsidiaries, a level of specificity that resonated with shareholders seeking reassurance about execution under new leadership.
—Yun Li,sarah Min, CNBC, 3 May 2026
This relativist turn in anthropology gained ground in succeeding decades, as the discipline became ever more attentive to the specificity of cultures, and increasingly wary of universal claims about the human condition.
—Glenn Adamson, Artforum, 2 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 9 May. 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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