# specificity

/ˌspɛsəˈfɪsəti/ (US) · /spˌɛsɪfˈɪsɪti/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/specificity
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

the quality of being exact and clear rather than general. You use this when you want to talk about how detailed or precise something is.

For teachers: the quality of being clearly defined or identified; the state of being precise rather than general. In medical and statistical contexts, it refers to the ability of a test to correctly identify those without a specific condition.

## Examples

- The plan lacks specificity and needs more detail.
- The lawyer asked for more specificity regarding the dates and times mentioned in the witness's statement.
- While the screening test showed high sensitivity for detecting the virus, its low specificity resulted in several false positives among the healthy control group.

## Usage notes

- Often paired with the preposition 'of' or used in the phrase 'lack of specificity'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.