RECREATION

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does recreation mean? 

• RECREATION (noun)
  The noun RECREATION has 2 senses:

1. an activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates

2. activity that refreshes and recreates; activity that renews your health and spirits by enjoyment and relaxation

  Familiarity information: RECREATION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RECREATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

diversion; recreation

Context example:

drug abuse is often regarded as a form of recreation

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

activity (any specific behavior)

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

fun; merriment; playfulness (activities that are enjoyable or amusing)

athletics; sport (an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition)

caper; frolic; gambol; play; romp (gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement)

child's play; play (activity by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules)

interest; pastime; pursuit (a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly))

night life; nightlife (the activity of people seeking nighttime diversion (as at the theater, a nightclub, etc.))

jest; jocularity; joke (activity characterized by good humor)

game (an amusement or pastime)

gambling; gaming; play (the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize))

antic; caper; joke; prank; put-on; trick (a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement)

eurhythmics; eurhythmy; eurythmics; eurythmy (the interpretation in harmonious bodily movements of the rhythm of musical compositions; used to teach musical understanding)

escape; escapism (an inclination to retreat from unpleasant realities through diversion or fantasy)

escapade; lark (any carefree episode)

amusement; entertainment (an activity that is diverting and that holds the attention)

dance; dancing; saltation; terpsichore (taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music)

celebration; festivity (any joyous diversion)

bathing (immersing the body in water or sunshine)

Derivation:

recreate (engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupy oneself in a diversion)

recreational (of or relating to recreation)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Activity that refreshes and recreates; activity that renews your health and spirits by enjoyment and relaxation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

recreation; refreshment

Context example:

days of joyous recreation with his friends

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

rejuvenation (the act of restoring to a more youthful condition)

Derivation:

recreate (give new life or energy to)

recreational (of or relating to recreation)

 Context examples 

Half-an-hour's recreation succeeded, then study; then the glass of water and the piece of oat-cake, prayers, and bed.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Riding a bicycle for transportation or recreation.

(Bicycling, NCI Thesaurus)

In the meantime he worked, taking no recreation except when he went to see Ruth, and living like a Spartan.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Society has claims on us all; and I profess myself one of those who consider intervals of recreation and amusement as desirable for everybody.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Besides, that would be all recreation and indulgence, without the wholesome alloy of labour, and I do not like to eat the bread of idleness.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Angina occurs with strenuous, rapid, or prolonged exertion at work or recreation.

(Canadian Cardiovascular Society Grading Scale Class, NCI Thesaurus)

As to any recreation with other children of my age, I had very little of that; for the gloomy theology of the Murdstones made all children out to be a swarm of little vipers (though there WAS a child once set in the midst of the Disciples), and held that they contaminated one another.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Having sought and obtained an audience of the superintendent during the noontide recreation, I told her I had a prospect of getting a new situation where the salary would be double what I now received (for at Lowood I only got 15 pounds per annum); and requested she would break the matter for me to Mr. Brocklehurst, or some of the committee, and ascertain whether they would permit me to mention them as references.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)