Skip to main content
nonspecificity

nonspecificity

8.9
Lack of a single target in the body's defence against germs
  • noun
  • /ˌnɑnspɪˈsɪfɪsɪti/
  • Specialized
translation icon : no especificidad
  • Because of its nonspecificity, the therapy may affect both harmful and beneficial cells.

Examples

  • The nonspecificity of the treatment allowed it to target a wide range of infections.

  • Researchers noted the nonspecificity in the immune response after administering the new drug.

  • The nonspecificity of the immune response can sometimes lead to unintended effects.

  • Nonspecificity is important in certain medical treatments.

  • The nonspecificity of the immune response often results in the body attacking both healthy and sick cells.

  • Doctors are concerned about the nonspecificity of the treatment, as it may not solely target the disease.

  • The nonspecificity of the vaccine makes it effective against various strains of the virus.

Antonyms

specificity
  • Specialized
7 7.4

The quality of affecting only one kind of living thing or cell

How Specific

precision
  • Specialized
157 4.2
specificity
12 7.0
generality
3 6.3
vagueness
8 6.1
nonspecificity
  • Specialized
8.9

Surface Forms

Morphology

nonspecificity = nonspecific (transparent) = non + specific + ity

Formed by adding the noun-forming suffix '-ity' to the adjective 'nonspecific', yielding the straightforward meaning 'the quality of being nonspecific'.

Etymology

Nonspecificity comes from non- meaning 'not' and specific meaning 'exact' or 'about a particular type', the same part you see in species. So in medicine nonspecificity means a treatment or immune response is 'not aimed at one thing' but acts more broadly.