specificity

noun

spec·​i·​fic·​i·​ty ˌspe-sə-ˈfi-sə-tē How to pronounce specificity (audio)
: 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 Fordyce thinks that such specificity of influence could come from many sources — not just from differences in the STR sequences but also from cooperative interactions between transcription factors and other proteins involved in regulation. Philip Ball, Quanta Magazine, 14 Feb. 2024 Hyde sheltered the specificity of his new approach headed into spring training. Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 25 Jan. 2024 To keep those groups at bay, less specificity might be the department's best strategy, according to Ed Boltz, a bankruptcy attorney and an alternate negotiator on the panel. Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 The same can be said of her pictures, where specificity is a bit of a red herring. Mark Holgate, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2024 There’s a reason for this reluctance, as specificity would prove embarrassing. Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 31 Jan. 2024 To date, Paramount Global and NAI have made no public statements with any specificity about the Skydance talks or the approach by WB Discovery. Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 31 Jan. 2024 Certainly, the ending of Ibsen’s 1879 narrative haunts with specificity. David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2024 But there's reason to take this announcement seriously, with the specificity of the launch date and the statement from a Japanese intelligence agency regarding its satellite that will be aboard the Kairos rocket. Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 2 Feb. 2024

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.

Word History

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of specificity was in 1875

Dictionary Entries Near specificity

Cite this Entry

“Specificity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/specificity. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

specificity

noun
spec·​i·​fic·​i·​ty ˌspes-ə-ˈfis-ət-ē How to pronounce specificity (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce specificity (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on specificity

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