Specificity
noun
The quality of being specific or exact.
The specificity of the instructions made it easy to complete the task
Often appears as...
- high specificity
- molecular specificity
noun
The quality of having a special or particular function or purpose.
The specificity of the tool made it very useful for the job
Often appears as...
- specificity of purpose
- specificity in design
noun
In medicine, it refers to the ability of a test to correctly identify those with the disease.
High specificity in a medical test helps prevent false positives
Often appears as...
- diagnostic specificity
- specificity of a test
Usage tips
Technical
noun
The quality of being specific or exact.
The specificity of the instructions made it easy to complete the task
Often appears as...
- high specificity
- molecular specificity
noun
The quality of having a special or particular function or purpose.
The specificity of the tool made it very useful for the job
Often appears as...
- specificity of purpose
- specificity in design
noun
In medicine, it refers to the ability of a test to correctly identify those with the disease.
High specificity in a medical test helps prevent false positives
Often appears as...
- diagnostic specificity
- specificity of a test
Usage tips
Technical
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/2Clear Instructions
Use 'specificity' to describe very clear and precise instructions or descriptions.
The recipe's specificity ensured the cake turned out perfectly.
Pro Tip 2/2Detail Importance
Highlight the importance of detail when explaining plans or processes using 'specificity.'
Her project plan lacked specificity, leading to confusion.
Pro Tip 1/2Clear Instructions
Use 'specificity' to describe very clear and precise instructions or descriptions.
The recipe's specificity ensured the cake turned out perfectly.
Pro Tip 2/2Detail Importance
Highlight the importance of detail when explaining plans or processes using 'specificity.'
Her project plan lacked specificity, leading to confusion.
Pro Tip 1/2Clear Instructions
Use 'specificity' to describe very clear and precise instructions or descriptions.
The recipe's specificity ensured the cake turned out perfectly.
Pro Tip 2/2Detail Importance
Highlight the importance of detail when explaining plans or processes using 'specificity.'
Her project plan lacked specificity, leading to confusion.
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Video examples
The secret to giving...
and I still don't have it yet." Specificity is also important when it comes to positive feedback, and the reason for that is that we want to be able to specify exactly what we want the other person to increase or diminish. And if we stick with blur words, they actually won't have any clue particularly what to do going forward to keep repeating that behavior.
Video examples
Ed Yong: Suicidal wasps,...
are no stranger to manipulation. We take drugs to shift the chemistries of our brains and to change our moods, and what are arguments or advertising or big ideas if not an attempt to influence someone else's mind? But our attempts at doing this are crude and blundering compared to the fine-grained specificity of the parasites.
Video examples
How to create meaningful...
seven songs that most shaped them over the course of their life their their full life and the rest of us would agree to kind of listen to them and also to the songs and there's no reason you couldn't do that virtually and so when I say create meaning together you know meaning is created through specificity
Video examples
Taiye Selasi: Don't ask...
The difference between "Where are you from?" and "Where are you a local?" isn't the specificity of the answer; it's the intention of the question. Replacing the language of nationality with the language of locality asks us to shift our focus to where real life occurs.
Video examples
The Science of a Happy...
is we can turn it into any kind of neuron that we find in the brain, and we can then look at gene expression in that neuronal stage. And so, this is going to usher in a whole new era of investigation that enables us to look with much greater specificity
Video examples
An aerialist on...
helps circus performers succeed. I believe it also reduces the risk of accidents, as a result of my students trusting and being able to act on what they're feeling at any given moment. This specificity is required later in life
Video examples
The world needs all...
for phone and it has to do some specific thing and it can only use so much memory that's the kind of specificity you need well that's the end of my talk and I just want to thank everybody for coming it was great to be here
Video examples
What causes seizures,...
launching further research in surgical treatments. Over the next two centuries, seizure treatments advanced rapidly. And today, there are dozens of available seizure medications that work with unprecedented specificity.
Video examples
The world needs all...
and it can only use so much memory." That's the kind of specificity you need. Well, that's the end of my talk. And I just want to thank everybody for coming. It was great to be here.
Video examples
Soon We'll Cure Diseases...
it would find its target, lock into its target -- a microbe or some part of a microbe -- and then turn off a lock and a key with exquisite deftness, exquisite specificity.
Video examples
The secret to giving...
and I still don't have it yet." Specificity is also important when it comes to positive feedback, and the reason for that is that we want to be able to specify exactly what we want the other person to increase or diminish. And if we stick with blur words, they actually won't have any clue particularly what to do going forward to keep repeating that behavior.
Video examples
Ed Yong: Suicidal wasps,...
are no stranger to manipulation. We take drugs to shift the chemistries of our brains and to change our moods, and what are arguments or advertising or big ideas if not an attempt to influence someone else's mind? But our attempts at doing this are crude and blundering compared to the fine-grained specificity of the parasites.
Video examples
How to create meaningful...
seven songs that most shaped them over the course of their life their their full life and the rest of us would agree to kind of listen to them and also to the songs and there's no reason you couldn't do that virtually and so when I say create meaning together you know meaning is created through specificity
Video examples
Taiye Selasi: Don't ask...
The difference between "Where are you from?" and "Where are you a local?" isn't the specificity of the answer; it's the intention of the question. Replacing the language of nationality with the language of locality asks us to shift our focus to where real life occurs.
Video examples
The Science of a Happy...
is we can turn it into any kind of neuron that we find in the brain, and we can then look at gene expression in that neuronal stage. And so, this is going to usher in a whole new era of investigation that enables us to look with much greater specificity
Video examples
An aerialist on...
helps circus performers succeed. I believe it also reduces the risk of accidents, as a result of my students trusting and being able to act on what they're feeling at any given moment. This specificity is required later in life
Video examples
The world needs all...
for phone and it has to do some specific thing and it can only use so much memory that's the kind of specificity you need well that's the end of my talk and I just want to thank everybody for coming it was great to be here
Video examples
What causes seizures,...
launching further research in surgical treatments. Over the next two centuries, seizure treatments advanced rapidly. And today, there are dozens of available seizure medications that work with unprecedented specificity.
Video examples
The world needs all...
and it can only use so much memory." That's the kind of specificity you need. Well, that's the end of my talk. And I just want to thank everybody for coming. It was great to be here.
Video examples
Soon We'll Cure Diseases...
it would find its target, lock into its target -- a microbe or some part of a microbe -- and then turn off a lock and a key with exquisite deftness, exquisite specificity.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Edward Lawrie Tatum
American Scientist
As has repeatedly been stated, the underlying hypothesis, which in a number of cases has been supported by direct experimental evidence, is that each gene controls the production, function, and specificity of a particular enzyme.
Quote examples
J. D. Souther
American Musician
I don't want to think that anything is off limits for me to write about, but I also don't want to intrude on anybody's life, which is why there's very little specificity or names in the songs I write.
Quote examples
Constance Wu
American Actress
Specificity is what makes good storytelling, and good storytelling is what makes money, and making money is then what encourages new producers to invest in different stories about Asians.
Quote examples
Michael Wolff
American Author
In a career of trying to pry secrets, gossip, specificity and truth out of media executives, Ailes has been the most forthcoming, personal, compelling and honest I've ever dealt with.
Quote examples
David Schwimmer
American Actor
My advice would be to write what is most personal and specific to your experience or your life. And your voice will emerge and because of its specificity, it will be universal.
Quote examples
Jacqueline Woodson
American Writer
The more specific we are, the more universal something can become. Life is in the details. If you generalize, it doesn't resonate. The specificity of it is what resonates.
Quote examples
Tabitha Soren
American Celebrity
At MTV, it's very nice sometimes to be able to be very specific. Specificity really makes a news story interesting because you can color it in that personality.
Quote examples
LaTanya Richardson
American Actress
I think most Americans, when we're building a character, we look at the specificity of what that person is, in particular.
Quote examples
David Slade
British Director
Being able to communicate what your vision is clearly and with specificity is the most important thing a director can do.
Quote examples
Josh Gondelman
American Author
I like comedy that's very specific and isn't afraid to lose people through its specificity.
Quote examples
Edward Lawrie Tatum
American Scientist
As has repeatedly been stated, the underlying hypothesis, which in a number of cases has been supported by direct experimental evidence, is that each gene controls the production, function, and specificity of a particular enzyme.
Quote examples
J. D. Souther
American Musician
I don't want to think that anything is off limits for me to write about, but I also don't want to intrude on anybody's life, which is why there's very little specificity or names in the songs I write.
Quote examples
Constance Wu
American Actress
Specificity is what makes good storytelling, and good storytelling is what makes money, and making money is then what encourages new producers to invest in different stories about Asians.
Quote examples
Michael Wolff
American Author
In a career of trying to pry secrets, gossip, specificity and truth out of media executives, Ailes has been the most forthcoming, personal, compelling and honest I've ever dealt with.
Quote examples
David Schwimmer
American Actor
My advice would be to write what is most personal and specific to your experience or your life. And your voice will emerge and because of its specificity, it will be universal.
Quote examples
Jacqueline Woodson
American Writer
The more specific we are, the more universal something can become. Life is in the details. If you generalize, it doesn't resonate. The specificity of it is what resonates.
Quote examples
Tabitha Soren
American Celebrity
At MTV, it's very nice sometimes to be able to be very specific. Specificity really makes a news story interesting because you can color it in that personality.
Quote examples
LaTanya Richardson
American Actress
I think most Americans, when we're building a character, we look at the specificity of what that person is, in particular.
Quote examples
David Slade
British Director
Being able to communicate what your vision is clearly and with specificity is the most important thing a director can do.
Quote examples
Josh Gondelman
American Author
I like comedy that's very specific and isn't afraid to lose people through its specificity.
Example 1 of 10
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