activity

noun ac·tiv·i·ty \ ak-ˈti-və-tē \

|Updated on: 19 Jun 2018

Examples: activity in a Sentence

Definition of activity

plural activities

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

5 a : 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

See activity defined for English-language learners

See activity defined for kids

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 of activity from the Web

The organization really only advises against contact sports and activities with a high risk of falling.

— leah prinzivalli, SELF, "3 Pilates Exercises Kate Hudson Is Doing During Her Pregnancy," 16 June 2018
Weather conditions influence drumming activity by male grouse, and, despite a late spring and unusual April snows, surveyors rated conditions better in 2018 than in 2017.

— paul a. smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "An unexpectedly quiet spring for the usually predictable rough grouse is cause for concern," 16 June 2018
People can check out, in addition to food and beverages, Greek music and folk dancing, vendors, a silent auction and children’s activities.

— david anderson, The Aegis, "Organizers report better-than-expected turnout for first night of 12th annual Greek Festival in Bel Air," 16 June 2018
For those individuals, limited outdoor activities are recommended.

— diane mastrull, Philly.com, "DEP issues air-quality warning for Sunday as heat wave begins," 16 June 2018
My father seemed to like the self-reliance, the fraternity, and domestic activity of outdoor life.

— heather radke, Longreads, "A Beginner’s Guide to Fly Fishing With Your Father," 16 June 2018
The video selectively highlights young kids doing outdoor activities, receiving medical care and even playing with the residential pet dog.

— CBS News, "Houston warehouse eyed as new shelter for immigrant children," 16 June 2018
But in the late 1870s, the falling price of silver, coupled by a devastating fire in Cerro Gordo’s mine, brought activity in the town to a halt.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Historic California Ghost Town Is Up For Sale," 16 June 2018
Almost all of them use cookies and other technologies to track visitors’ online activity.

— john rothchild, Scientific American, "New European Rules May Give US Internet Users True Privacy Choices for the First Time," 15 June 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.

Origin and Etymology of 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 ¹active + -itāt-, -itās -ity

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

activity Synonyms

Synonyms

conditioning, exercise, exertion;

Related Words

training, warm-up, workout;

toning, trimming;

aerobics, athletics, bodybuilding, calisthenics, gymnastics, isometrics, weight lifting;

ACTIVITY Defined for English Language Learners

activity

noun

Definition of activity for English Language Learners

: 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

ACTIVITY Defined for Kids

activity

noun ac·tiv·i·ty \ ak-ˈti-və-tē \

Definition of activity for Students

plural activities

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.

Medical Dictionary

activity

noun ac·tiv·i·ty \ ak-ˈtiv-ət-ē \

medical Definition of activity

plural activities

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