selectivity
C1Formal, Academic, Technical
Definition
Meaning
The quality of being selective; the ability or tendency to choose carefully from among a range of options.
In technical contexts (e.g., chemistry, electronics), the ability of a process or device to respond to or distinguish a specific stimulus while ignoring others.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily an uncountable, abstract noun. Implies a deliberate, discerning, and often restrictive choice.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning. 'Selectiveness' is a less common, more informal synonym that might be slightly more frequent in general British writing, while 'selectivity' dominates in technical registers globally.
Connotations
Both share connotations of discrimination, discernment, and precision. Can carry a neutral or positive tone (e.g., in academia) or a slightly negative one if implying unwarranted exclusion.
Frequency
More frequent in academic, scientific, and technical texts in both varieties. Slightly higher overall frequency in American English corpora, particularly in social sciences.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
selectivity of [noun] (e.g., selectivity of the filter)selectivity in [gerund/noun] (e.g., selectivity in choosing candidates)selectivity for [noun] (e.g., selectivity for target molecules)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Pick and choose (related verb phrase)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to a company's strategic focus on specific market segments or customer profiles. 'Our marketing strategy's selectivity has improved our ROI.'
Academic
Describes research methods, admission policies, or the focus of a study. 'The study criticises the selectivity of the historical archive.'
Everyday
Used to describe personal habits in choosing things like food, friends, or media. 'Her selectivity in films means she only watches classics.'
Technical
A key parameter in chemistry (catalytic selectivity), electronics (filter selectivity), and biology (ion channel selectivity). 'The catalyst's selectivity for the desired product exceeded 95%.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The committee will need to select applicants with great care.
- We selected the timber for its durability.
American English
- The team will select the proposal next week.
- She selected the options from the dropdown menu.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The university is known for its selectivity.
- He shows great selectivity in his choice of friends.
- The judge was criticised for the apparent selectivity of his prosecutions.
- The success of the drug depends on its selectivity for cancer cells over healthy ones.
- The algorithm's linguistic selectivity allows it to ignore common filler words while focusing on key terminology.
- Critics accused the report of historical selectivity, omitting events that contradicted its thesis.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TV selector dial (SELECT-ivity) that only picks up a few, very specific channels clearly, ignoring all the static and other channels.
Conceptual Metaphor
SELECTIVITY IS A FILTER / SELECTIVITY IS A GATEKEEPER.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque from 'селективность'. While correct in technical contexts, in general speech 'разборчивость' or 'избирательность' are more natural.
- Do not confuse with 'selection' (процесс отбора). Selectivity is the *quality* of that process.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'selection' interchangeably (a selection is a chosen set; selectivity is the quality of choosing).
- Misspelling as 'selectivety' or 'selectivity'.
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'a selectivity').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'selectivity' most likely to be used in its technical sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is context-dependent. It can be positive (implying high standards and discernment) or negative (implying unfair or biased exclusion).
In general use, 'selectivity' is about careful choosing. In technical contexts (e.g., biochemistry), they are closely related but distinct: 'selectivity' is the ability to discriminate between different targets, while 'specificity' is the ability to focus exclusively on one target.
In everyday language, yes, they are synonyms, though 'selectiveness' is less formal and less common. In technical/scientific writing, 'selectivity' is the standard term.
The related verb is 'to select'. 'Selectivity' is the noun form of the adjective 'selective'.