English Reference

Word

activity

Phoneticsac·tiv·i·ty, stress on the second syllable

US/ækˈtɪvəti/

UK/æktˈɪvɪti/

Definitions

01being busy

A1 · Beginner Uncountable noun

n. a situation where a lot of things are happening or people are moving around.

n. the state or quality of being active; a condition of constant or energetic movement.

“There was a lot of activity in the kitchen as they prepared dinner.”

“The sudden burst of activity in the lobby suggested that the guest of honour had finally arrived for the gala.”

Usage

Often uncountable when referring to general movement in a place.

02a specific task or hobby

A1 · Beginner Countable noun

n. something that you do for a particular purpose, like a hobby or a school task.

n. a specific deed, action, or pursuit, especially one organized for education or recreation.

“The hotel offers many outdoor activities like hiking and swimming.”

“The teacher designed a classroom activity that required students to collaborate on a complex problem-solving task.”

Usage

Countable; frequently used in the plural to describe a range of options.

03radioactive decay

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Science Technical

n. the speed at which a radioactive substance breaks down.

n. the number of nuclear decays occurring in a radioactive sample per unit time.

“The scientist measured the activity of the sample to see if it was safe.”

“The laboratory monitored the residual activity of the isotopes to ensure they had decayed below the safety threshold before disposal.”

Usage

Measured in becquerels or curies.

Synonyms

04chemical reactivity

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Science Technical

n. how easily a substance reacts with other chemicals.

n. the property or tendency of a substance to undergo a chemical reaction with other substances.

“The activity of the metal changed when it was placed in the acid.”

“The catalyst was chosen specifically to increase the chemical activity of the reagents without being consumed in the process.”

Synonyms

05grammar aspect

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Science Technical · Academic

n. a type of verb that describes an action that continues and has no natural end.

n. a lexical aspect of verbs describing situations that involve internal change and lack a built-in terminal point.

“In the sentence 'he is running', the verb shows activity.”

“The distinction between activity and accomplishment in lexical aspect is crucial for understanding how different languages handle temporal flow.”

Teaching tip

This is a highly specialized term in linguistics; learners will usually encounter 'continuous' or 'progressive' instead.

Synonyms

aktionsart

Antonyms

stative

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “activity” in context.

01. activity levels 02. activities like 03. activity continues 04. activity inside 05. activity occur 06. conduct activity 07. economic activity 08. human activity 09. leisure activity 10. mental activity 11. neural activity 12. ongoing activity

Etymology

From Middle French activité, from Latin activitas. Equivalent to active + -ity.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

ADJECTIVE

Related words

Idioms

Domains

GrammarPhysics

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
Frequency
Very common
Level
A1 · BeginnerOxford
Updated

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