Anglais

selectivity

gb/sɪlˌɛktˈɪvəti/ us/sɪlˌɛktˈɪvəti/
C1 Anglais
Sens
0 sens
Nom formal C1 property
1

tendency to choose carefully

how careful and strict someone is when choosing things

Schéma d’usage : selectivity in [choosing/selection]
Erreur fréquente :
Do not use selectivity to mean the act of choosing itself (selection). It means how strict or careful the choosing is.
Synonymes
choosiness (More informal and often slightly negative.) | discrimination (Can mean careful judgment, but may be confused with unfair treatment.)
Antonymes
indiscrimination (Choosing without careful distinction.) | openness (Willingness to accept many options rather than being strict.)
Collocations
high selectivity |low selectivity |greater selectivity |increased selectivity |a level of selectivity |consumer selectivity |selectivity in hiring |selectivity in dating |selectivity in friendships |selectivity about food
Thèmes
daily_life |decision_making
Exemples
  • As she got older, her selectivity about who she spent time with increased.
  • The job market is improving, but employers still show strong selectivity.
  • His selectivity comes from wanting the best value, not from being rude.
Exemples pédagogiques
  • I don’t have much selectivity when I’m hungry.
  • The store’s selectivity about suppliers is very strict.
Nom formal C1 property
2

difficulty of getting accepted

how hard it is to get into a school, program, or job

Schéma d’usage : the selectivity of [a school/program/company]
Erreur fréquente :
Selectivity is not the same as quality; a very selective school is hard to enter, but the word itself only describes how strict acceptance is.
Synonymes
competitiveness (Focuses on how many people compete, not strictly on acceptance decisions.) | exclusivity (Emphasizes being restricted or limited, sometimes for social reasons.)
Antonymes
open admissions (A policy of accepting most or all applicants who meet basic requirements.) | accessibility (Emphasizes ease of entry rather than strictness.)
Collocations
college selectivity |school selectivity |program selectivity |admissions selectivity |institutional selectivity |selectivity rate |highly selective |increasing selectivity |selectivity has risen |selectivity in admissions
Thèmes
education |work |business
Exemples
  • The university’s selectivity has increased as applications have grown.
  • They chose the program partly because of its selectivity and reputation.
  • Websites often compare colleges by graduation rates and selectivity.
Exemples pédagogiques
  • This school has high selectivity.
  • The program’s selectivity is very low this year.
Nom technical C1 property
3

preference for one option over others

in science, how well something affects only one thing and not others

Schéma d’usage : selectivity for [a target]/selectivity toward [a target]
Erreur fréquente :
In technical writing, selectivity is close to specificity, but selectivity often implies comparison among multiple possible targets or outcomes.
Synonymes
specificity (Often used in biology/medicine; emphasizes being specific to a target.) | preference (More general; less precise and less technical.)
Antonymes
nonspecificity (Acting broadly rather than on one target.) | nonselectivity (Lack of preference among targets or outcomes.)
Collocations
high selectivity |low selectivity |target selectivity |receptor selectivity |sensor selectivity |catalyst selectivity |product selectivity |selectivity for oxygen |selectivity toward a receptor |improve selectivity
Thèmes
science |technology |medicine
Exemples
  • The new drug shows strong selectivity for the intended receptor.
  • Engineers improved the sensor’s selectivity so it ignores background signals.
  • The catalyst’s selectivity determines how much of the desired product is formed.
Exemples pédagogiques
  • This test has better selectivity.
  • The medicine has selectivity for one receptor.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
selectivity
API
GB/sɪlˌɛktˈɪvəti/
US/sɪlˌɛktˈɪvəti/
Syllabes et accentuation
se - lectiv - ity (3 syllabes)
Stress on 3rd syllable (ity)
Formes du mot
Noun
  • Base: selectivity
  • Plural: selectivities, selectivity
Expressions

Aucune expression n’est encore associée à cette entrée.

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