subjectivity

noun

sub·​jec·​tiv·​i·​ty (ˌ)səb-ˌjek-ˈti-və-tē 

: the quality, state, or nature of being subjective

Any attempt to link landscapes and music together can suffer from some measure of subjectivity.

—David J. Keeling

He thinks that scientists and philosophers have unjustly neglected the subjectivity of conscious experience and that this has made it harder for them to explain some of the workings of the mind.

—Anthony Gottlieb

Examples of subjectivity in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Now that acceptance has come, some physicists are exploring ways to bake subjectivity into mathematical definitions of entropy. —Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 13 Dec. 2024

For such an iconic, objective award, the Heisman is the preeminent testament to the whims of subjectivity. —Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 16 Nov. 2024

But the reality is, there’s still quite a bit of subjectivity in both identifying SIBO and effectively treating it. —Erica Sloan, SELF, 24 Oct. 2024

There is a natural degree of subjectivity and there is the interest of keeping races competitive, plus avoiding sending athletes home without racing after extensive travel. —Liam Tharme, The Athletic, 3 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1803, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

subjectivity

noun

sub·​jec·​tiv·​i·​ty ˌsəb-jek-ˈtiv-ət-ē 

plural subjectivities

1

: subjective character, quality, state, or nature

2

: the personal qualities of an investigator that affect the outcome of scientific or medical research (as by unconsciously communicating a bias to the subject of the experiment)