passivity

P3A1S1S1I1V4I1T1Y4
/pæˈsɪvɪti/

noun

The state of being passive.

Similar
passiveness
Opposite
activity
UncommonScrabble 17
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounpassivity (countable and uncountable, plural passivities)

plural passivities

  1. countableuncountableThe state of being passive.
  2. countableuncountableSubmissiveness.
  3. countableuncountableA lack of initiative.
  4. countableuncountablehuman sciencesThe belief that one's thoughts or actions are influenced or controlled by an external agent.

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
passiveness
Opposite
activity

nounthe trait of remaining inactive; a lack of initiative

Similar
passiveness
Broader
inactivenessinactivityinertia

nounsubmission to others or to outside influences

Similar
passiveness
Broader
submissiveness
Also see
passiveness

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From passive + -ity.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek πάθησις
  • πάθησις (páthēsis)the state of being passive
Bulgarian пасивност, инертност
  • пасивност (pasivnost)the state of being passive
  • инертност (inertnost)a lack of initiative
Catalan passivitat
  • passivitatthe state of being passive
Chinese Mandarin 被動狀態 /被动状态
  • 被動狀態 /被动状态 (bèidòng zhuàngtài)the state of being passive
Finnish passiivisuus
  • passiivisuusthe state of being passive
French passivité
  • passivitéthe state of being passive
German Passivität, Passivzustand
  • Passivitätthe state of being passive
  • Passivzustandthe state of being passive
  • Unterwürfigkeitsubmissiveness
  • Passivitäta lack of initiative
  • Passivhaltunga lack of initiative
Hindi निष्क्रियता
  • निष्क्रियता (niṣkriytā)the state of being passive
Hungarian passzivitás, tétlenség
  • passzivitásthe state of being passive
  • tétlenségthe state of being passive
Irish éighníomhaíocht, neamhghníomhaíocht
  • éighníomhaíochtthe state of being passive
  • neamhghníomhaíochtthe state of being passive
Italian passività
  • passivitàthe state of being passive
Polish pasywność, bierność
  • pasywnośćthe state of being passive
  • biernośćthe state of being passive
Portuguese passividade
  • passividadethe state of being passive
Romanian pasivitate, pasivitate
  • pasivitatethe state of being passive
  • pasivitatea lack of initiative
Russian пассивность
  • пассивность (passivnostʹ)the state of being passive
Slovak pasivita, nečinnosť
  • pasivitathe state of being passive
  • nečinnosťthe state of being passive
  • pasivitaa lack of initiative
Spanish pasividad
  • pasividadthe state of being passive
Ukrainian паси́вність
  • паси́вність (pasývnistʹ)the state of being passive
Cite this entry
APA

passivity. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/passivity

MLA

“passivity.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/passivity. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “passivity,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/passivity.

Source: passivity on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.