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
Citing decades of precedence, Chiquita’s attorneys have long argued against its culpability, citing jurisdiction issues, the specificity of the allegations, causation, the inapplicability of U.S. laws, lack of standing, and so on.
—
Jack Werner / Made By History, TIME, 18 June 2024
There are always specificities and unique circumstances to every moment and every point in an industry’s evolution.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 June 2024
More shows need these levels of insane specificity.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 28 May 2024
The next big leap was to free the shading language from the specificity of Lucasfilm’s hardware, making a specific language into a standard language.
—IEEE Spectrum, 3 Aug. 2021
See all Example Sentences for specificity 
Jack Werner / Made By History, TIME, 18 June 2024
There are always specificities and unique circumstances to every moment and every point in an industry’s evolution.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 June 2024
More shows need these levels of insane specificity.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 28 May 2024
The next big leap was to free the shading language from the specificity of Lucasfilm’s hardware, making a specific language into a standard language.
—IEEE Spectrum, 3 Aug. 2021
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 4 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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