behavior

A2 Topic:People & Society

Also spelled behaviour

US /bɪˈheɪ.vjɚ/ UK /bɪˈheɪ.vjə(ɹ)/ See IPA manual

Freq #2747

Meanings

1

noun
The way a person acts, especially toward other people.

The teacher praised the children for their good behavior.
2

noun
The way an animal, machine, or substance acts under certain conditions.

The behavior of small particles can be studied in experiments.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

comportment conduct demeanor deportment

Word family

Forms behaviors

Derived forms behavioralbehavioralismbehavioralistbehavioremebehaviorism behaviorist behavioristicbehaviormetricbehaviormetricsbehaviorwiseeigenbehaviormacrobehavior

Related forms behave

Appears in

Phrases (11)

See all

behavior modification
a therapeutic approach that changes learned actions by changing their consequences

Noun + noun
threatening behavior
actions that suggest a risk of harm and make others feel unsafe

Adjective + noun
gentlemanly behavior
Conduct showing courtesy, consideration, and manners traditionally associated with a gentleman.

Adjective + noun
inconsiderate behavior
Actions that show insufficient care for other people's feelings or needs.

Adjective + noun
insubordinate behavior
conduct that refuses to obey instructions or accept the authority of a superior

Adjective + noun
overbearing behavior
Conduct that tries to dominate others and expects unquestioning obedience.

Adjective + noun

Proverbs (1)

See all

Good behavior is the last refuge of mediocrity

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epsder. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epider. Proto-Indo-European *h₁pi Proto-Germanic *bider. Proto-Germanic *bi- Proto-West Germanic *bi- Proto-Indo-European *kap-der. Proto-Germanic *habjaną Proto-West Germanic *habbjan Proto-West Germanic *bihabbjan Old English behabban Middle English behaven Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- Proto-Italic *haβēō Latin habeō Old French avoirbor. Middle English havour Middle English behavoure English behavior From Middle English behavoure, behaver, from behaven (modern behave), morphologically equival…

*kap- Proto-Indo-European behavoure Middle English aveir xno avoir Old French habeō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

People & Society Psychology & Behavior

External links

# behavior

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /bɪˈheɪ.vjɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /bɪˈheɪ.vjə(ɹ)/
**Frequency rank:** 2747

## Meanings
1. The way a person acts, especially toward other people.
2. The way an animal, machine, or substance acts under certain conditions.

## Examples
- The teacher praised the children for their good behavior.
- The behavior of small particles can be studied in experiments.

## Synonyms
- comportment
- conduct
- demeanor
- deportment

## Derived Forms
- behavioral
- behavioralism
- behavioralist
- behavioreme
- behaviorism
- behaviorist
- behavioristic
- behaviormetric
- behaviormetrics
- behaviorwise
- eigenbehavior
- macrobehavior

## Related Forms
- behave

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *kap-
- Root: behavoure
- Root: aveir
- Root: avoir
- Root: habeō

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epsder. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epider. Proto-Indo-European *h₁pi Proto-Germanic *bider. Proto-Germanic *bi- Proto-West Germanic *bi- Proto-Indo-European *kap-der. Proto-Germanic *habjaną Proto-West Germanic *habbjan Proto-West Germanic *bihabbjan Old English behabban Middle English behaven Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- Proto-Italic *haβēō Latin habeō Old French avoirbor. Middle English havour Middle English behavoure English behavior From Middle English behavoure, behaver, from behaven (modern behave), morphologically equival…

## AI Etymology
Behavior's historical chain begins with Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep- and Proto-Indo-European *h₁eps and later passes through Latin habeō, Old French avoir, Middle English havour, Middle English behavoure, English behavior.

## Topics
- People & Society
- Psychology & Behavior

markdown