akˈtivəd.ē, -ətē, -i noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle French activité, from Medieval Latin activitat-, activitas, from Latin activus active + -itat-, -itas -ity — more at active
1. : the quality or state of being active
the sphere of his activity
solar activity
2. : physical motion or exercise of force: as
a. : vigorous or energetic action : liveliness
to restrict his activity
b. : adroit or skillful physical action : agility
an athlete's activity
3. : natural or normal function or operation
activity on the stock exchange
as
a. : a process (as moving or digesting) that an organism carries on or participates in by virtue of being alive
b. : any similar process (as searching, desiring, learning, or writing) that actually or potentially involves mental function ; specifically : an educational procedure designed to stimulate learning by firsthand experience or observation, experiment, inquiry, and discussion
activity program
— compare project , unit
4.
a. : an actuating force
b. sometimes capitalized : a creative agency or process ; especially : an ultimate or underived cosmic agency
5.
a. : an occupation, pursuit, or recreation in which a person is active — often used in plural
business activities
social activities
b. : a form of organized, supervised, and often extracurricular recreation (as athletic games, dramatics, or dancing)
6. chemistry
a. : the characteristic of acting rapidly or of promoting a rapid reaction
the activity of adsorbent carbon
the activity of a catalyst
b. : the apparent or effective concentration of a substance especially in solution as judged by the behavior of the substance under given conditions, such concentration being equal to the actual concentration in very dilute ideal solutions — called also relative fugacity
7. : an organizational unit for performing a specific function ; also : its duties or function
navy supplies procured from the nearest shore activity
the food-inspection activity of the health department