sedentary

[ sed-n-ter-ee ]

adjective

1. characterized by or requiring a sitting posture:

   a sedentary occupation.

2. accustomed to sit or rest a great deal or to take little exercise.
3. Chiefly Zoology.
   1. abiding in one place; not migratory.
   2. pertaining to animals that move about little or are permanently attached to something, as a barnacle.

sedentary

/ ˈsɛdəntərɪ; -trɪ /

adjective

1. characterized by or requiring a sitting position

   sedentary work

2. tending to sit about without taking much exercise
3. (of animals) moving about very little, usually because of attachment to a rock or other surface
4. (of animals) not migratory

Derived Forms

• ˈsedentariness, noun
• ˈsedentarily, adverb

Other Words From

• sed·en·tar·i·ly [sed-n-, tair, -, uh, -lee, sed, -n-ter-], adjective
• seden·tari·ness noun
• nonsed·en·tari·ly adverb
• non·seden·tari·ness noun
• non·seden·tary adjective
• pre·seden·tary adjective
• un·seden·tary adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sedentary¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin sedentārius “sitting,” equivalent to sedent- (stem of sedēns, present participle of sedēre “to sit ¹ ”; -ent ) + -ārius -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of sedentary¹

C16: from Latin sedentārius, from sedēre to sit

Example Sentences

Back pain can often be the predictable result of a sedentary lifestyle that more and more Americans have, so it may not take much movement to increase strength in the core and back enough to relieve pain.

From Popular-Science

Some might argue that the imaging signs could be chalked up to differences between the hearts of competitive athletes and those of the more sedentary.

From Science News

I know online education may seem an awful imposition on parents of younger children particularly – bloodless and breathless, as well as overly sedentary.

From Voice of San Diego

This time, however, we distilled the plasma from runners and injected it into sedentary litter mates over the course of a month.

From Singularity Hub 

After 30 days of giving them the drug, Evans and his team put the sedentary mice on a treadmill.

From Freakonomics

That reserve gets smaller with sedentary lifestyles, and with age.

From The Daily Beast

He will spend the rest of his commute sedentary, and she upright.

From The Daily Beast

Kids today, just like adults, are more sedentary, glued to videogames and every tech gadget with a screen.

From The Daily Beast

The doctors said it was as strong as an ox, considering he was so sedentary.

From The Daily Beast

Americans spend twice as much time in cars as in the 1970s and average more than 26 hours per week of sedentary entertainment.

From The Daily Beast

She grants the enjoyment of sedentary pursuits to those to whom she has denied hardier pleasures.

From Project Gutenberg

I now begin to despair, and am almost inclined to think that your sedentary life has rivetted your chains, and cut off your wings.

From Project Gutenberg

A slightly sallow tinge under its sudden bloom told how Rose had suffered from the sedentary life.

From Project Gutenberg

A waiter conjured a vacant table and chairs from nowhere, in the midst of the sedentary throng.

From Project Gutenberg

The sedentary life told on his health, and he obstinately declined the medicines his mother sent him.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• inactive