exclusivity
/ˌekskluːˈsɪvəti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌekskluːˈsɪvəti/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌek-ˌsklü-ˈsi-və-tē ik-, -ˈzi-/ (ame, mw)
exclusivity — noun
1. the legal or commercial right to be the only person or company that can use, sel
the legal or commercial right to be the only person or company that can use, sell, or do something, while others are kept from doing the same thing
The publisher signed a deal giving them exclusivity over the author's next three novels.
exclusivity + over + [what is exclusive]
Lin Chen's company was granted exclusivity to distribute the software across Southeast Asia.
granted exclusivity + to-infinitive
The streaming service paid a huge sum for the exclusivity of the weekend football matches.
That clause in the contract guarantees exclusivity, so other shops cannot sell the brand.
The band turned down a large offer because they did not want to give up their exclusivity to one label.
- monopoly
broader term describing control over an entire market; exclusivity is more specific to rights granted
- sole rights
nearly identical in meaning, but 'sole rights' is slightly less formal
- franchise
a commercial right granted by a company to sell its goods; implies a business model rather than a general right
- competition
a situation where multiple parties are allowed to do the same thing
文法句型
exclusivity + of + noun phrase
exclusivity + over + noun phrase
grant/give + exclusivity
用法筆記
Often used in business and legal contexts. Frequently found with verbs like 'grant', 'give', 'have', 'buy', 'sell', and prepositions 'over' or 'of'.
2. a quality that makes a product, service, or place feel special, expensive, or av
a quality that makes a product, service, or place feel special, expensive, or available only to a small wealthy or carefully chosen group of people
The hotel's exclusivity comes from having only twelve private villas on a small island.
exclusivity + comes from + [source]
Luxury brands carefully manage their prices to keep a strong sense of exclusivity.
sense of exclusivity
The country club is known for its exclusivity — new members must be invited by existing ones.
Amara was put off by the exclusivity of the private school and chose a public one instead.
The restaurant limits reservations to six tables per night to maintain an air of exclusivity.
- selectiveness
focuses more on the act of choosing than the resulting feeling of being special
- prestige
refers to the respect and admiration something receives, which can result from exclusivity
- elitism
carries a stronger negative judgement; implies unfair or snobbish exclusion
- accessibility
the quality of being easy to obtain or join
- inclusiveness
the opposite of being selective; open to everyone
文法句型
sense/feeling/air + of + exclusivity
exclusivity + of + noun phrase
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1, this meaning focuses on social status and desirability rather than legal rights. Frequently carries a slightly negative tone when used about institutions (clubs, schools) that are seen as unfairly selective.
常見錯誤
3. the quality of two ideas, situations, or conditions being impossible at the same
the quality of two ideas, situations, or conditions being impossible at the same time, so that if one is true or happens, the other cannot be
The exclusivity of the two options means you have to choose one or the other, not both.
exclusivity + of + [plural noun]
In logic class, Yuki learned about the exclusivity of true and false statements.
The exclusivity of peace and open conflict as two opposite states is clear to everyone.
- mutual exclusivity
the more common full form, especially in academic contexts
- incompatibility
broader term; can refer to things that do not work together rather than a strict logical impossibility
- compatibility
the ability for two things to exist or be true together
文法句型
exclusivity + of + [two or more items]
用法筆記
This is an abstract, technical sense. It is common in academic writing (philosophy, mathematics, logic) and less frequent in everyday conversation. The phrase 'mutual exclusivity' is more common than 'exclusivity' alone for this meaning.