Standard Lemma guide

activity

noun · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ækˈtɪv.ɪ.ti/
  • UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • /ækˈtɪv.ə.ti/ weak vowel merger
  • [ækˈtɪv.ə.ɾi] weak vowel merger
  • /ækˈtɪv.ɪ.ti/ weak vowel distinction
  • [ækˈtɪv.ɪ.ɾi] weak vowel distinction
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australian: /ækˈtɪv.ə.ti/
  • Australian: [ækˈtɪv.ə.ɾi]
  • rhymes with -ɪvɪti
  • CMU ARPABET: AE0 K T IH1 V AH0 T IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: AE0 K T IH1 V IH0 T IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The state or quality of being active; activeness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Examples

  • Pit row was abuzz with activity.
  • For quotations using this term, see Citations:activity.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Something done as an action or a movement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

Examples

  • The activity for the morning was a walk to the store.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pursuit, undertaking

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Something done for pleasure or entertainment, especially one involving movement or an excursion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

Examples

  • An increasing number of sports activities are on offer at the university.
  • Quilting can be an enjoyable activity.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The lexical aspect (aktionsart) of verbs or predicates that change over time and have no natural end point.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: grammar, human-sciences, linguistics, sciences, semantics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

The number of radioactive decays per unit time. Unit for it: becquerel or curie

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

The property of substances to react with other substances

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

any specific behavior

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • they avoided all recreational activity

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: inactivity

Broader terms: act, deed, human action, human activity

Narrower terms: variation, variance, space walk, domesticity, operation, practice, pattern, diversion, recreation, cup of tea, bag, dish, follow-up, followup, game, turn, play, music, acting, playing, playacting, performing, liveliness, animation, burst, fit, work, works, deeds, service, occupation, business, job, line of work, line, writing, committal to writing, role, wrongdoing, wrongful conduct, misconduct, actus reus, waste, wastefulness, dissipation, attempt, effort, endeavor, endeavour, try, control, protection, sensory activity, education, instruction, teaching, pedagogy, didactics, educational activity, training, preparation, grooming, representation, creation, creative activity, dismantling, dismantlement, disassembly, puncture, search, hunt, hunting, use, usage, utilization, utilisation, employment, exercise, military operation, measurement, measuring, measure, mensuration, calibration, standardization, standardisation, organization, organisation, grouping, support, supporting, continuance, continuation, procedure, process, ceremony, worship, energizing, activating, activation, concealment, concealing, hiding, placement, location, locating, position, positioning, emplacement, provision, supply, supplying, demand, pleasure, enjoyment, delectation, lamentation, mourning, laughter, market, marketplace, market place, politics, readying, aid, assist, assistance, help, behavior, behaviour, conduct, doings, leadership, leading, precession, precedence, precedency, solo, buzz, fun, sin, hell, release, outlet, vent, last, mystification, obfuscation, negotiation, verbalization, verbalisation, perturbation, disturbance, timekeeping

8

noun

Meaning 8

the trait of being active; moving or acting rapidly and energetically

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the level of activity declines with age

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: activeness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: trait

Narrower terms: animation, spiritedness, invigoration, brio, vivification, dynamism, pizzazz, pizzaz, oomph, zing

9

noun

Meaning 9

an organic process that takes place in the body

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • respiratory activity

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bodily process, body process, bodily function

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: organic process, biological process

Narrower terms: control, breathing, external respiration, respiration, ventilation, breath, consumption, ingestion, intake, uptake, sexual activity, sexual practice, sex, sex activity, insemination, sleeping, reaction, response, crying, weeping, tears, ablactation, anastalsis, discharge, emission, expelling, expectoration, festering, suppuration, maturation, healing, hypostasis, lacrimation, lachrymation, tearing, watering, lactation, opsonization, opsonisation, overactivity, peristalsis, vermiculation, perspiration, sweating, diaphoresis, sudation, hidrosis, phagocytosis, pinocytosis, placentation, psilosis, tanning, transpiration

10

noun

Meaning 10

a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the action of natural forces
  • volcanic activity

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: natural process, natural action, action

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: process, physical process

Narrower terms: radiation, absorption, acidification, adiabatic process, aeration, antiredeposition, capture, centrifugation, chemical process, chemical change, chemical action, chromatography, concretion, condensation, convection, curdling, clotting, coagulation, decay, demagnetization, demagnetisation, desorption, diffusion, dissolution, disintegration, distillation, distillment, drift, effervescence, electrophoresis, cataphoresis, dielectrolysis, ionophoresis, establishment, ecesis, extinction, extraction, feedback, filtration, flocculation, flow, formation, fossilization, fossilisation, geological process, geologic process, hardening, solidifying, solidification, set, curing, inactivation, ion exchange, ionization, ionisation, leach, leaching, magnetization, magnetisation, magnetic induction, materialization, materialisation, nuclear reaction, opacification, oscillation, oxygenation, pair production, pair creation, pair formation, phase change, phase transition, state change, physical change, precession of the equinoxes, release, saltation, scattering, sericulture, sink, soak, soakage, soaking, softening, sorption, source, stiffening, rigidifying, rigidification, stimulation, succession, ecological succession, survival, survival of the fittest, natural selection, selection, synergy, synergism, temperature change, transduction, transpiration, vitrification

11

noun

Meaning 11

the state of being active

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • his sphere of activity
  • he is out of action

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: action, activeness

Antonyms: inactivity

Broader terms: state

Narrower terms: agency, busyness, hum, behavior, behaviour, eruption, eructation, extravasation, operation, overdrive, play, swing

12

noun

Meaning 12

(chemistry) the capacity of a substance to take part in a chemical reaction

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • catalytic activity

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: capability, capacity

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h2eǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *h2éǵeti Proto-Italic *agō Latin agō Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus ▲ Ancient Greek ἐνεργητῐκός (energētĭkós)sl. Latin āctīvus Proto-Indo-European *-teh2 Proto-Indo-European *-ts Proto-Indo-European *-teh2ts Proto-Italic *-tāts Latin -tās Latin āctīvitāsder. Middle French activitébor. English activity From Middle French activité, from Latin activitas. Equivalent to active + -ity.

Across languages

Translations

215 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: aktiwiteit — state or quality of being active
  • Albanian: aktivitet — state or quality of being active
  • Arabic: نَشَاط (našāṭ) — state or quality of being active
  • Armenian: գործունեություն (gorcuneutʻyun) — state or quality of being active
  • Asturian: actividá — state or quality of being active
  • Azerbaijani: fəaliyyət — state or quality of being active
  • Azerbaijani: fəallıq — state or quality of being active
  • Azerbaijani: aktivlik — state or quality of being active
  • Belarusian: дзе́йнасць (dzjéjnascʹ) — state or quality of being active
  • Belarusian: дзе́йнасьць (dzjéjnasʹcʹ) — state or quality of being active
  • Belarusian: акты́ўнасць (aktýwnascʹ) — state or quality of being active
  • Belarusian: акты́ўнасьць (aktýwnasʹcʹ) — state or quality of being active
  • Belarusian: дзе́яльнасць (dzjéjalʹnascʹ) — state or quality of being active
  • Belarusian: дзе́яльнасьць (dzjéjalʹnasʹcʹ) — state or quality of being active
  • Belarusian: чы́ннасць (čýnnascʹ) — state or quality of being active
  • Belarusian: чы́ннасьць (čýnnasʹcʹ) — state or quality of being active
  • Bulgarian: акти́вност (aktívnost) — state or quality of being active
  • Bulgarian: дея́телност (dejátelnost) — state or quality of being active
  • Bulgarian: де́йност (déjnost) — state or quality of being active
  • Catalan: activitat — state or quality of being active
  • Chinese Cantonese: 活動 /活动 — state or quality of being active
  • Eastern Min Chinese: 活動 /活动 (uăk-dông) — state or quality of being active
  • Chinese: 活動 /活动 (oa̍h-tāng / oa̍h-tǎng) — state or quality of being active
  • Chinese Mandarin: 活動 /活动 (huódòng) — state or quality of being active
  • Wu Chinese: 活動 /活动 (8weq-don) — state or quality of being active
  • Czech: aktivita — state or quality of being active
  • Czech: čilost — state or quality of being active
  • Danish: aktivitet — state or quality of being active
  • Dutch: activiteit — state or quality of being active
  • Dutch: actief — state or quality of being active
  • Esperanto: aktiveco — state or quality of being active
  • Estonian: aktiivsus — state or quality of being active
  • Finnish: aktiivisuus — state or quality of being active
  • Finnish: toiminta — state or quality of being active
  • French: activité — state or quality of being active
  • Galician: actividade — state or quality of being active
  • Georgian: მოქმედება (mokmedeba) — state or quality of being active
  • German: Aktivität — state or quality of being active
  • Greek: δραστηριότητα (drastiriótita) — state or quality of being active
  • Ancient Greek: ἐνέργεια (enérgeia) — state or quality of being active
  • Hebrew: פְּעִילוּת (p'ilút) — state or quality of being active
  • Hebrew: מַעַשׂ — state or quality of being active
  • Hindi: सक्रियता (sakriytā) — state or quality of being active
  • Hungarian: elfoglaltság — state or quality of being active
  • Irish: fuadar — state or quality of being active
  • Italian: attività — state or quality of being active
  • Japanese: 活動 (katsudō) — state or quality of being active
  • Japanese: アクティビティー (akutibitī) — state or quality of being active
  • Kazakh: белсенділік (belsendılık) — state or quality of being active
  • Korean: 활동 (hwaldong) — state or quality of being active
  • Kyrgyz: ишмерлик (işmerlik) — state or quality of being active
  • Kyrgyz: активдүүлүк (aktivdüülük) — state or quality of being active
  • Latin: actiō — state or quality of being active
  • Latvian: aktivitāte — state or quality of being active
  • Lithuanian: aktyvùmas — state or quality of being active
  • Macedonian: активност (aktivnost) — state or quality of being active
  • Malay: kegiatan — state or quality of being active
  • Malay: aktiviti — state or quality of being active
  • Malay: aktivitas — state or quality of being active
  • Malayalam: പ്രവർത്തനം (pravaṟttanaṁ) — state or quality of being active
  • Māori: ngohe — state or quality of being active
  • Māori: hohenga — state or quality of being active
  • Norwegian Bokmål: aktivitet — state or quality of being active
  • Norwegian Bokmål: virksomhet — state or quality of being active
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: aktivitet — state or quality of being active
  • Pashto: فعاليت (fa'ālyát) — state or quality of being active
  • Iranian Persian: فَعالِیَت (fa'âliyat) — state or quality of being active
  • Iranian Persian: فَعالِیَّت (fa'âliyyat) — state or quality of being active
  • Polish: aktywność — state or quality of being active
  • Polish: czynność — state or quality of being active
  • Portuguese: atividade — state or quality of being active
  • Romanian: activitate — state or quality of being active
  • Russian: де́ятельность (déjatelʹnostʹ) — state or quality of being active
  • Russian: акти́вность (aktívnostʹ) — state or quality of being active
  • Sardinian: faìna — state or quality of being active
  • Serbo-Croatian: акти́вно̄ст — state or quality of being active
  • Serbo-Croatian: aktívnōst — state or quality of being active
  • Slovak: aktivita — state or quality of being active
  • Slovak: ruch — state or quality of being active
  • Slovene: aktívnost — state or quality of being active
  • Slovene: dejávnost — state or quality of being active
  • Spanish: actividad — state or quality of being active
  • Swedish: aktivitet — state or quality of being active
  • Swedish: verksamhet — state or quality of being active
  • Tagalog: kabilusan — state or quality of being active
  • Tajik: фаъолият (fa'oliyat) — state or quality of being active
  • Turkish: aktivite — state or quality of being active
  • Turkish: faaliyet — state or quality of being active
  • Ottoman Turkish: فعالیت (faaliyet) — state or quality of being active
  • Ukrainian: дія́льність (dijálʹnistʹ) — state or quality of being active
  • Ukrainian: акти́вність (aktývnistʹ) — state or quality of being active
  • Ukrainian: чи́нність (čýnnistʹ) — state or quality of being active
  • Urdu: فَعالِیَت (fa'āliyat) — state or quality of being active
  • Uyghur: پائالىيەت (pa'aliyet) — state or quality of being active
  • Uzbek: aktivlik — state or quality of being active
  • Uzbek: faollik — state or quality of being active
  • Uzbek: faoliyat — state or quality of being active
  • Vietnamese: hoạt động — state or quality of being active
  • Afrikaans: aktiwiteit — something done as an action or a movement
  • Armenian: գործունեություն (gorcuneutʻyun) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Asturian: actividá — something done as an action or a movement
  • Bulgarian: де́йност (déjnost) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Catalan: activitat — something done as an action or a movement
  • Chinese Mandarin: 動作 /动作 (dòngzuò) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Czech: činnost — something done as an action or a movement
  • Danish: aktivitet — something done as an action or a movement
  • Dutch: activiteit — something done as an action or a movement
  • Dutch: beweging — something done as an action or a movement
  • Dutch: werkzaamheid — something done as an action or a movement
  • Egyptian: st-t:a:Z1 (st-ꜥ) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Esperanto: aktivaĵo — something done as an action or a movement
  • Estonian: tegevus — something done as an action or a movement
  • Finnish: aktiviteetti — something done as an action or a movement
  • Finnish: tekeminen — something done as an action or a movement
  • Finnish: toiminta — something done as an action or a movement
  • French: activité — something done as an action or a movement
  • Galician: actividade — something done as an action or a movement
  • Georgian: აქტიურობა (akṭiuroba) — something done as an action or a movement
  • German: Aktivität — something done as an action or a movement
  • German: Handlung — something done as an action or a movement
  • German: Tätigkeit — something done as an action or a movement
  • Greek: δράση (drási) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Ancient Greek: ἐνέργεια (enérgeia) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Hebrew: פְּעִילוּת (p'ilút) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Hindi: क्रिया (kriyā) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Hungarian: tevékenység — something done as an action or a movement
  • Indonesian: kegiatan — something done as an action or a movement
  • Indonesian: aktivitas — something done as an action or a movement
  • Italian: attività — something done as an action or a movement
  • Japanese: 活動 (katsudō) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Korean: 활동 (hwaldong) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Malay: kegiatan — something done as an action or a movement
  • Malay: aktiviti — something done as an action or a movement
  • Malay: aktivitas — something done as an action or a movement
  • Malayalam: പ്രയോഗം (prayōgaṁ) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Malayalam: പ്രവൃത്തി (pravr̥tti) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Maltese: attività — something done as an action or a movement
  • Central Mazahua: b'ɇpji — something done as an action or a movement
  • Norwegian Bokmål: aktivitet — something done as an action or a movement
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: aktivitet — something done as an action or a movement
  • Polish: aktywność — something done as an action or a movement
  • Portuguese: atividade — something done as an action or a movement
  • Romanian: activitate — something done as an action or a movement
  • Russian: де́йствие (déjstvije) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Russian: мероприя́тие (meroprijátije) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Russian: де́ло (délo) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Sanskrit: प्रयोगः (prayogaḥ) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Sardinian: faìna — something done as an action or a movement
  • Scots: acteevity — something done as an action or a movement
  • Scottish Gaelic: gnìomhachd — something done as an action or a movement
  • Semai: ektiviti — something done as an action or a movement
  • Slovak: činnosť — something done as an action or a movement
  • Slovak: aktivita — something done as an action or a movement
  • Slovene: aktívnost — something done as an action or a movement
  • Slovene: dejávnost — something done as an action or a movement
  • Spanish: actividad — something done as an action or a movement
  • Swedish: aktivitet — something done as an action or a movement
  • Swedish: sysselsättning — something done as an action or a movement
  • Tamil: செயல் (ceyal) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Thai: การเคลื่อนไหว (gaan-klʉ̂ʉan-wǎi) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Tigrinya: ንጥፈት (nəṭfät) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Ukrainian: акти́вність (aktývnistʹ) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Ukrainian: дія́льність (dijálʹnistʹ) — something done as an action or a movement
  • Welsh: gweithgaredd — something done as an action or a movement
  • Afrikaans: aktiwiteit — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Bulgarian: акти́вност (aktívnost) — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Czech: aktivita — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Danish: aktivitet — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Dutch: activiteit — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Finnish: aktiviteetti — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Finnish: toiminta — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Finnish: tekeminen — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • French: activité — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Galician: actividade — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • German: Aktivität — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • German: Unternehmung — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Greek: δραστηριότητα (drastiriótita) — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Hebrew: פְּעִילוּת (p'ilút) — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Hindi: क्रिया (kriyā) — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Indonesian: kegiatan — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Indonesian: aktivitas — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Italian: attività — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Italian: svago — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Japanese: 活動 (katsudō) — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Korean: 활동 (hwaldong) — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Malayalam: പ്രവൃത്തി (pravr̥tti) — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Maltese: attività — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Norwegian Bokmål: aktivitet — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: aktivitet — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Polish: działalność — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Portuguese: atividade — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Romanian: activitate — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Russian: де́ло (délo) — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Russian: заня́тие (zanjátije) — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Sardinian: faìna — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Scots: acteevity — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Scottish Gaelic: spòrs — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Scottish Gaelic: gnìomhachd — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Slovak: aktivita — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Slovak: koníček — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Slovak: záľuba — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Spanish: actividad — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Swedish: aktivitet — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Swedish: sysselsättning — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Tamil: செயல் (ceyal) — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Thai: กิจกรรม (gìt-jà-gam) — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Turkish: aktivite — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • Ukrainian: дія́льність (dijálʹnistʹ) — something done for pleasure or entertainment
  • French: activité — property of substances to react with other substances
  • German: Aktivität — property of substances to react with other substances
  • Italian: attività — property of substances to react with other substances
  • Japanese: アクティビティー (akutibitī) — property of substances to react with other substances
  • Korean: 액티비티 (aektibiti) — property of substances to react with other substances
  • Portuguese: actividade — property of substances to react with other substances
  • Spanish: actividad — property of substances to react with other substances
Real reading context

activity in complete knowledge articles