sedentary

adjective

sed·​en·​tary ˈse-dᵊn-ˌter-ē How to pronounce sedentary (audio)
1
: not migratory : settled
sedentary birds
sedentary civilizations
2
a
: doing or requiring much sitting
a sedentary job
b
: not physically active
a sedentary lifestyle
3
: permanently attached
sedentary barnacles

Did you know?

Sit and Learn About Sedentary

Sedentary comes from Latin sedēre, meaning "to sit." Other descendants of sedēre include dissident, insidious, preside, reside, and subsidy. Sedēre is also the base of the rare sedens, a noun meaning "a person who remains a resident of the place or region of his or her birth."

Examples of sedentary in a Sentence

Editing the dictionary is a sedentary job. The work is very sedentary. Their health problems were caused by their sedentary lifestyles. He became sedentary later on in his life.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To date, a recent clinical review has found that individuals consistently logging long sleep durations score lower on cognitive assessments, especially when combined with mood imbalances or sedentary lifestyles. Ximena Araya-Fischel, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025 They can be fixed or non-modifiable, like a family history or advancing age, or modifiable, like a sedentary lifestyle or excessive alcohol or salt consumption. Colleen Doherty, Verywell Health, 12 May 2025 Focus on Standing More Having a sedentary lifestyle can adversely affect your health. Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 1 May 2025 To address the risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle, it is recommended that people engage in at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity each day. John Gallucci Jr, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for sedentary

Word History

Etymology

Middle French sedentaire, from Latin sedentarius, from sedent-, sedens, present participle of sedēre to sit — more at sit

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sedentary was in 1598

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Cite this Entry

“Sedentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sedentary. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

sedentary

adjective
sed·​en·​tary ˈsed-ᵊn-ˌter-ē How to pronounce sedentary (audio)
1
: not migratory : settled
sedentary birds
2
: doing or requiring much sitting
a sedentary job

Medical Definition

sedentary

adjective
sed·​en·​tary ˈsed-ᵊn-ˌter-ē How to pronounce sedentary (audio)
: doing or requiring much sitting : characterized by a lack of physical activity
increased risk of heart disease for those with sedentary jobs

More from Merriam-Webster on sedentary

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