expressivity

noun

ex·​pres·​siv·​i·​ty ˌek-ˌspre-ˈsi-və-tē How to pronounce expressivity (audio)
plural expressivities
1
: the relative capacity of a gene to affect the phenotype of the organism of which it is a part
2
: the quality of being expressive

Examples of expressivity in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Emotional expressivity is no longer a way to communicate with each other to reach greater understanding between people of diverse backgrounds; instead, emotion’s function has shifted from forging social bonds to expressing one’s own inner feelings. Iese Business School, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 In our experiment, perhaps the task setup and the expressivity of the abused robot were enough to motivate people to generally intervene. IEEE Spectrum, 19 Aug. 2020 Adobe says that Generative Fill expands expressivity and productivity and enhances the confidence of creators with the use of natural language and concepts to generate digital content in seconds. Shelby Putnam Tupper, PCMAG, 13 Sep. 2023 The baritone Luke Sutliff, a former Santa Fe apprentice, stepped in, finding keen expressivity at the top of his range. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023 The track that Sachs uses does more than just inflect the sequence with its surprisingly extravagant expressivity. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2023 The movie’s two hours were barely enough to tell the story; to tell it in about two-and-a-half, while leaving room for those 17 new songs, everything else has been cut to the bone, with no room for subtlety, let alone expressivity. Jesse Green, New York Times, 3 Aug. 2023 What began as a joke became a curiosity, and, slowly—with the help of Segarra’s on-screen magnetism and puppylike physical expressivity—Lance has become something like the show’s moral center. Phillip MacIak, The New Republic, 9 June 2023 The idea that people are discovering their sexuality and their expressivity online is a beautiful thing. Emil Wilbekin Shikeith Ian Bradley, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'expressivity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of expressivity was in 1934

Dictionary Entries Near expressivity

Cite this Entry

“Expressivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expressivity. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

expressivity

noun
ex·​pres·​siv·​i·​ty ˌek-ˌspres-ˈiv-ət-ē How to pronounce expressivity (audio)
plural expressivities
: the relative capacity of a gene to affect the phenotype of the organism of which it is a part compare penetrance
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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