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
The previous version of the manual did not provide that type of specificity.
—
Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025
With that level of specificity, with Luna knowing whether his Ghorman tea is going to be placed to his right or to his left, there’s a true sense of place that the actors, cinematographers, and directors can all build on.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 30 Apr. 2025
Right Message The specificity of the message is pivotal.
—Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
Another specificity of the fund is that unlike traditional equity funds, Together will offers hands-on strategic support from a dedicated team, led by Lebret and Bodet, to provide market insights and financial guidance.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 13 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for specificity
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025
With that level of specificity, with Luna knowing whether his Ghorman tea is going to be placed to his right or to his left, there’s a true sense of place that the actors, cinematographers, and directors can all build on.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 30 Apr. 2025
Right Message The specificity of the message is pivotal.
—Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
Another specificity of the fund is that unlike traditional equity funds, Together will offers hands-on strategic support from a dedicated team, led by Lebret and Bodet, to provide market insights and financial guidance.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 13 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for specificity
Cite this Entry
“Specificity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/specificity. Accessed 18 May. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share