BEHAVIOUR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does behaviour mean? 

• BEHAVIOUR (noun)
  The noun BEHAVIOUR has 4 senses:

1. the action or reaction of something (as a machine or substance) under specified circumstances

2. (behavioral attributes) the way a person behaves toward other people

3. (psychology) the aggregate of the responses or reactions or movements made by an organism in any situation

4. manner of acting or controlling yourself

  Familiarity information: BEHAVIOUR used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BEHAVIOUR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The action or reaction of something (as a machine or substance) under specified circumstances

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

behavior; behaviour

Context example:

the behavior of small particles can be studied in experiments

Hypernyms ("behaviour" is a kind of...):

action; activeness; activity (the state of being active)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(behavioral attributes) the way a person behaves toward other people

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

behavior; behaviour; conduct; demeanor; demeanour; deportment

Hypernyms ("behaviour" is a kind of...):

trait (a distinguishing feature of your personal nature)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "behaviour"):

manners (social deportment)

citizenship (conduct as a citizen)

swashbuckling (flamboyantly reckless and boastful behavior)

correctitude; properness; propriety (correct or appropriate behavior)

improperness; impropriety (an improper demeanor)

manner; personal manner (a way of acting or behaving)

Sense 3

Meaning:

(psychology) the aggregate of the responses or reactions or movements made by an organism in any situation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

behavior; behaviour

Hypernyms ("behaviour" is a kind of...):

activity (any specific behavior)

Domain category:

psychological science; psychology (the science of mental life)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "behaviour"):

territoriality (the behavior of a male animal that defines and defends its territory)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Manner of acting or controlling yourself

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

behavior; behaviour; conduct; doings

Hypernyms ("behaviour" is a kind of...):

activity (any specific behavior)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "behaviour"):

aggression (deliberately unfriendly behavior)

bohemianism (conduct characteristic of a bohemian)

dirty pool (conduct that is unfair or unethical or unsportsmanlike)

dirty tricks (underhand commercial or political behavior designed to discredit an opponent)

discourtesy; offence; offense; offensive activity (a lack of politeness; a failure to show regard for others; wounding the feelings or others)

easiness (the quality of being easy in behavior or style)

the way of the world; the ways of the world (the manner in which people typically behave or things typically happen)

 Context examples 

Her behaviour to Mr. Rushworth was careless and cold.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Amongst the most violent against him was Mrs. Bennet, whose dislike of his general behaviour was sharpened into particular resentment by his having slighted one of her daughters.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Let us be discreet—quite on our good behaviour.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

If the effect of his behaviour does not justify him with you, we had better not seek after the cause.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

I wish you had been there to see her behaviour.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

My aunt shook her head firmly, confident in the character and behaviour of the girl who never was born.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The research is one of the first ever genome studies to look at butterfly behaviour and it unlocks the secrets of evolution to help explain how new species are formed.

(Butterflies are genetically wired to choose a mate that looks just like them, University of Cambridge)

The researchers were able to control the behaviour of a single electron with 99.5% efficiency.

(Quantum state of single electrons controlled by ‘surfing’ on sound waves, University of Cambridge)

Is that seamanly behaviour, now, I want to know?

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Excitement of psychotic proportions manifested by mental and physical hyperactivity, disorganisation of behaviour and elevation of mood.

(Mania, NCI Thesaurus)