# productivity

/ˌpɹoʊdəkˈtɪvəti/ (US) · /pɹˌɒdəktˈɪvɪti/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/productivity
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. work efficiency

noun · CEFR B2

the rate at which a person or company does useful work.

For teachers: the effectiveness of productive effort, especially in industry, as measured in terms of the rate of output per unit of input.

- The new software helped the team increase their productivity by finishing tasks faster.
- Economists are concerned that stagnant productivity growth across the manufacturing sector could lead to long-term wage suppression.

Usage: Usually uncountable; often used with verbs like 'increase', 'boost', or 'improve'.

### 2. agriculture

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

the amount of crops grown on a specific area of land.

For teachers: the yield or output of crops per unit of land area, often used to assess soil quality or farming techniques.

- Using better fertilizer can improve the productivity of the soil.
- The study examined how climate change affects the agricultural productivity of sub-Saharan regions over a ten-year period.

### 3. linguistics

noun · CEFR C2 · Academic · Technical

how easily a language rule can be used to make new words.

For teachers: the capacity of a grammatical pattern or affix to be used by speakers to create new linguistic forms.

- The suffix '-ness' has high productivity because we can add it to many adjectives to make nouns.
- Morphological productivity varies significantly between different affixes, with some remaining active while others become entirely fossilized.

Teaching tip: This is a highly specialized term in linguistics; in general conversation, use 'flexibility' or 'creativity' instead.

## Examples

- The new software helped increase our daily productivity.
- The manager introduced flexible working hours to boost employee productivity and reduce burnout.
- Economists often argue that long-term wage growth is fundamentally tied to gains in productivity, as more efficient production allows for higher profit margins and reinvestment.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.