What does specificity mean?
Specificity is the quality of being clear, exact, and focused on particular details rather than broad, general, or uncertain. A question may be too vague to answer effectively until it is made more specific; similarly, a description gains specificity when it identifies people, objects, times, places, or circumstances precisely. The word is especially useful in writing instruction, editing, legal and technical communication, and academic criticism. It can also carry a mildly critical tone when someone says that a plan or account lacks specificity, because this usually implies that essential details are missing or ambiguously expressed. In general use, specificity describes the degree of detail and precision that language achieves.
nounThe quality of being specific, clear, and precise rather than vague or general. It refers especially to the degree of detail or exactness in a description, definition, instruction, or claim.
- The quality of being specific, clear, and precise rather than vague or general; the degree of detail or exactness in language, description, or thinking.
"The request lacked specificity, so the editor asked the writer to identify the intended audience and tone."
"The architect added specificity to the brief by naming the materials, dimensions, and lighting requirements."
"The study was criticized for a lack of specificity in its account of the participants and methods."
Usually uncountable when referring to the general quality of precision; the plural is uncommon and is appropriate only when distinct instances of precision are meant.
"The two proposals differed in their specificities concerning cost and delivery time."
Specificity turns a vague idea into a usable instruction.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does specificity come from?
Specificity comes from the adjective specific and ultimately from the Latin species, meaning “appearance,” “kind,” or “form.” The related English word specify entered through Old French and Latin roots referring to describing or stating something in particular detail. The modern family of words, including specific, specify, specimen, and species, preserves this sense of being definite and distinguishable from other things.
Related word forms
How specificity is actually used
Usually formal or technical, though it is also common in writing instruction, criticism, and discussion of communication. It often describes the degree of precision in a statement or the presence of exact, particular details.
Easily confused with specificity
Specificity is the quality of being specific, whereas a specific detail, requirement, or example is an individual item that makes a broader statement precise.