English Reference
Noun

subjectivity

n.
C1 Advanced US /səbdʒɛkˈtɪvɪti/ UK /sˌʌbdʒɪktˈɪvɪti/ sub·jec·tiv·i·ty UK spelling subjectivities

n.the quality of being based on personal feelings or opinions rather than facts. It means that different people might see the same thing in a different way.

n.the quality of being based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions rather than objective facts or reason.


SIMPLE

The beauty of the painting is a matter of subjectivity.

CONTEXTUAL

The debate over the new policy was largely based on subjectivity, as the evidence was not clear-cut.

COMPLEX

While scientific measurements rely on objective data, the interpretation of those results often involves a degree of subjectivity that can vary between researchers.

The understandings of reality espoused by many Amazonian societies, where nonhumans are endowed with souls and subjectivities comparable with those of humans, have been described by Philippe Descola as ‘animism’.

Aeon· 20 Aug 2026

From French subjectivité, equivalent to subjective + -ity.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated