Synonyms

specificity

American

[spes-uh-fis-i-tee] / ˌspɛs əˈfɪs ɪ ti /

noun

the quality or state of being specific.
Biochemistry, Pharmacology. the selective attachment or influence of one substance on another, as an antibiotic and its target organism or an antibody and its specific antigen.

Other Word Forms

nonspecificity noun

Etymology

Origin of specificity

First recorded in 1875–80; specific + -ity

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"In an AI search engine, the average length is 40 to 60 words. So, you're talking about an order of magnitude of specificity change."

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

“AI favors firsthand experience, specificity and continuously refreshed discussions. So the more activity that is happening around your brand, the more likely you are to be propelled into the conversation.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

If you want a little more specificity as you move through these steps, keep it simple.

From Salon • Mar. 19, 2026

Their AI model demonstrated very high sensitivity and specificity when identifying acromegaly from the hand images.

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2026

I was still practicing law, but the specificity of the work and the change of scenery distracted me just enough from the bigger questions beginning to bubble up in my mind.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023