Word
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.
Antonyms
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
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “activity” in context.
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
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
Idioms
01. hive of activity
Domains
- 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
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/activity
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0