productivity

noun

pro·​duc·​tiv·​i·​ty ˌprō-dək-ˈti-və-tē 

ˌprä-, 

prə-ˌdək-

1

: the quality or state of being productive

2

: the rate per unit area or per unit volume at which biomass consumable as food by other organisms is made by producers

Examples of productivity in a Sentence

The country has low agricultural productivity.

The company is looking for ways to improve worker productivity.

There has been an increase in productivity.

Recent Examples on the Web

Sustainable productivity gains require reengineering workflows before automating them. — Jamie Garverick, Fortune, 15 July 2026

Worries are rising that stock prices have shot too high and that the demand may not be sustainable if AI doesn’t deliver as much profit and productivity as expected. — ABC News, 14 July 2026

The findings also challenge the assumption that taking breaks will hurt productivity. — Angela Haupt, Time, 14 July 2026

Daron Acemoglu, an MIT economist and noted AI productivity skeptic, tells me 10 percent job displacement within the next decade is likely. — Benjamin Guggenheim, Washington Post, 14 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1808, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing productivity

• hyper-productivity

Rhymes for productivity

• absorptivity
• affectivity
• collectivity
• conductivity
• connectivity
• corrosivity
• creativity
• diffusivity
• directivity
• effectivity
• emissivity
• exclusivity

Kids Definition

productivity

noun

pro·​duc·​tiv·​i·​ty (ˌ)prō-ˌdək-ˈtiv-ət-ē 

ˌpräd-(ˌ)ək-, 

prə-ˌdək-

1

: the quality or state of being productive

2

: the rate of production at which food for other living things is made by living things that are producers