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
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The Colombian maestro activates the same head-to-toe expressivity as music director designate Klaus Mäkelä — who, by the way, now takes pride of place in the CSO’s hall decor and transit ads. Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2024 This extends to the expressivity of a noodle’s form, sensual or zany, and to the harmony of marrying a particular shape with exactly the right sauce, which carries the same satisfying sense of inevitability that comes from hanging a picture just right. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2024 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 See all Example Sentences for expressivity 

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 11 Dec. 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
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