activity

noun

ac·tiv·i·ty | \ ak-ˈti-və-tē

plural activities

Definition of activity

1 : the quality or state of being active : behavior or actions of a particular kind physical activity criminal activity economic activity

2 : vigorous or energetic action : liveliness a scene of excitement and activity

3 : natural or normal function: such as

a : a process (such as digestion) that an organism carries on or participates in by virtue of being alive

b : a similar process actually or potentially involving mental function specifically : an educational procedure designed to stimulate learning by firsthand experience

4 : an active force

5a : a pursuit in which a person is active business activities social activities

b : a form of organized, supervised, often extracurricular recreation The camp offers hiking, swimming, and other activities.

6 : an organizational unit for performing a specific function also : its function or duties the restaurant inspection activity of the health department

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Examples of activity in a Sentence

The holidays always set off a lot of activity in our home. the sexual activity of married couples The police are now monitoring criminal activity in the area. She gets at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. The instruments are used to detect volcanic activity on the island. We planned an activity for the children.

Recent Examples on the Web

As the leader of this year’s jury, Ramsay-Levi had the task of assembling a cast of jurors and leading them not only in adjudication, but also in activities. — Steff Yotka, Vogue, "Inside the Festival d’Hyères With Chloé’s Natacha Ramsay-Levi," 1 May 2019 Driving a Mazda Miata is the unstructured play of the automotive world: often a solitary activity, beneficial to one's development, and a whole lot of fun. — Car and Driver, "2019 10Best Cars," 28 Nov. 2018 This often refers to activities involving bodily fluids and blood. — Sophie Saint Thomas, Allure, "A Beginner’s Guide to Impact Play," 1 May 2019 Additionally, Leary adds most people on social media upload multiple photos of themselves and their day-to-day activities. — Danielle Corcione, Teen Vogue, "6 Signs You're Being Catfished," 3 Apr. 2019 Bitwise Asset Management said its analysis of trading activity at 81 exchanges over four days in March indicates that the actual market for bitcoin is far smaller... — Paul Vigna, WSJ, "Most Bitcoin Trading Faked by Unregulated Exchanges, Study Finds," 22 Mar. 2019 Their day of outdoor activity wasn't just limited to the soccer field. — Nicole Saunders, Harper's BAZAAR, "Kate Middleton and Prince William Get Affectionate While Playing Soccer in Belfast," 28 Feb. 2019 But none of these incidents has appeared to be as deliberate or as coordinated as the continuous drone activity at Gatwick, now spanning over 24 hours. — Sean Gallagher, Ars Technica, "I’ll be drone for Christmas: London airport closed for day by drone harassment," 20 Dec. 2018 This is awarded for having a major contribution in any activity, usually at national level. — Vogue, "Emma Thompson, Mick Jagger, and All the Celebrities Knighted by the British Royal Family," 7 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'activity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for activity

Middle English actyvete "active life," borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French activité "power of acting, exercise of this power," borrowed from Medieval Latin āctīvitāt-, āctīvitās (Late Latin, "active form of a verb"), from Latin āctīvus active entry 1 + -itāt-, -itās -ity

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Dictionary Entries near activity

activity group psychotherapy

Statistics for activity

Last Updated

22 May 2019

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Time Traveler for activity

The first known use of activity was in the 15th century

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More Definitions for activity

activity

noun

English Language Learners Definition of activity

: the state of being active : behavior or actions of a particular kind

: something that is done as work or for a particular purpose

: something that is done for pleasure and that usually involves a group of people

See the full definition for activity in the English Language Learners Dictionary

activity

noun

ac·tiv·i·ty | \ ak-ˈti-və-tē

plural activities

Kids Definition of activity

1 : energetic action There is always activity around the holidays.

2 : something done especially for relaxation or fun Summer camp provides a variety of activities for kids.

activity

noun

ac·tiv·i·ty | \ ak-ˈtiv-ət-ē

plural activities

Medical Definition of activity

1 : natural or normal function: as

a : a process (as digestion) that an organism carries on or participates in by virtue of being alive

b : a similar process actually or potentially involving mental function specifically : an educational procedure designed to stimulate learning by firsthand experience

2 : the characteristic of acting chemically or of promoting a chemical reaction the activity of a catalyst