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English
Etymology
Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. English active From Middle English actyf, from Old French actif, from Latin āctīv(us), from agere (“to do, to act”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti. By surface analysis, act + -ive.
Pronunciation
Adjective
active (comparative more active, superlative most active)
- Having the power or quality of acting; causing change; communicating action or motion; acting;—opposed to passive, that receives.
- Synonym: acting
- Antonym: passive
certain active principles the active powers of the mind
- Quick in physical movement; of an agile and vigorous body; nimble.
- Synonyms: agile, nimble
- Antonyms: passive, indolent, still
an active child or animal
- In action; actually proceeding; working; in force
- Synonyms: in action, working, in force
- Antonyms: quiescent, dormant, extinct
active laws active hostilities
- (specifically, of certain geological features, such as volcano, geysers, etc) Emitting hot materials, such as lava, smoke, or steam, or producing tremors.
- Given to action; constantly engaged in action; energetic; diligent; busy
- Synonyms: busy, deedful, diligent, energetic
- Antonyms: dull, sluggish, indolent, inert
an active man of business active mind active zeal
1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:This new-comer was a man who in any company would have seemed striking. […] He was smooth-faced, and his fresh skin and well-developed figure bespoke the man in good physical condition through active exercise, yet well content with the world's apportionment.
- Requiring or implying action or exertion
- Synonym: operative
- Antonyms: passive, tranquil, sedentary
active employment or service active scenes
- Given to action rather than contemplation; practical; operative
- Antonyms: theoretical, speculative
an active rather than a speculative statesman
- Brisk; lively.
an active demand for corn
- Implying or producing rapid action.
- Antonyms: passive, slow
an active disease an active remedy
- (heading, grammar) About verbs.
- Applied to a form of the verb; — opposed to passive. See active voice.
- Applied to verbs which assert that the subject acts upon or affects something else; transitive.
- Applied to all verbs that express action as distinct from mere existence or state.
- (computing, of source code) Eligible to be processed by a compiler or interpreter.
2006 December 24, David Williams, “satellite program”, in comp.lang.basic.visual.misc[1] (Usenet):I think it should be upgraded to Visual BASIC, but I'm no good at that. So maybe someone here would like to take a crack at it. There are only 40 lines of active code, plus a few REMs. About 100 BASIC commands altogether.
2012, Chris Grover, “Triggering Actions”, in Adobe Edge Preview 5: The Missing Manual, 3rd edition, Sebastopol: O'Reilly Media, →ISBN, page 98:Edge uses green text for comments. This makes it easier for you to quickly differentiate between active code and comments.
- (electronics) Not passive.
- (gay slang, of a homosexual man) enjoying a role in anal sex in which he penetrates, rather than being penetrated by his partner.
- Synonym: top
- Antonyms: passive, bottom
Synonyms
Derived terms
Related terms
Descendants
Translations
having the quality or power of acting
- Arabic: نَشِيط (našīṭ), عَامِل (ʕāmil)
- Armenian: ակտիվ (hy) (aktiv)
- Assamese: সক্ৰিয় (xokriy)
- Asturian: activu
- Azerbaijani: fəal (az)
- Belarusian: акты́ўны m (aktýwny), дзе́йны (dzjéjny), чы́нны (čýnny)
- Bulgarian: деен (bg) (deen), акти́вен (bg) (aktíven)
- Catalan: actiu (ca)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 積極 / 积极 (zh) (jījí)
- Czech: aktivní (cs), činný (cs)
- Danish: aktiv (da)
- Dutch: actief (nl)
- Erzya: эряза (eŕaza)
- Estonian: tegev
- Finnish: aktiivinen (fi), tekevä (fi), toimiva (fi)
- French: actif (fr)
- Galician: activo (gl)
- German: aktiv (de)
- Greek:
- Ancient Greek: πρακτικός (praktikós)
- Hebrew: פָּעִיל (he) m (pa'íl)
- Hindi: सक्रिय (hi) (sakriya)
- Ido: aktiva (io)
- Italian: attivo (it)
- Japanese: 活動的な (ja) (かつどうてきな, katsudōteki na)
- Kazakh: белсенді (kk) (belsendi)
- Korean: 활동적(活動的) (ko) (hwaldongjeok)
- Latin: activus
- Latvian: aktīvs, darbīgs
- Macedonian: а́ктивен (áktiven)
- Malay: giat (ms), aktif (ms)
- Malayalam: സജീവ (ml) (sajīva)
- Māori: hohe
- Middle English: actyf
- Norman: acti (Jersey)
- Norwegian:
- Bokmål: aktiv (no)
- Persian: آکتیو (fa) (âktiv), کاری (fa) (kâri), کنشور (fa) (konešvar)
- Polish: aktywny (pl), czynny (pl)
- Portuguese: ativo (pt)
- Romanian: activ (ro)
- Russian: акти́вный (ru) (aktívnyj), де́ятельный (ru) (déjatelʹnyj)
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: а̏ктӣван
- Latin: ȁktīvan (sh)
- Slovak: aktívny (sk), činný
- Slovene: aktíven, dejáven
- Spanish: activo (es)
- Swedish: aktiv (sv)
- Tagalog: aktibo
- Turkish: aktif (tr)
- Ukrainian: акти́вний (uk) (aktývnyj), дія́льний (uk) (dijálʹnyj)
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quick in physical movement
- Arabic: نَشِيط (našīṭ)
- Belarusian: акты́ўны (aktýwny)
- Bulgarian: акти́вен (bg) (aktíven), енерги́чен (bg) (energíčen)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 敏捷 (zh) (mǐnjié), 靈活 / 灵活 (zh) (línghuó), 利落 (zh) (lìluo)
- Estonian: väle, tarmukas
- Finnish: aktiivinen (fi), vilkas (fi), vireä (fi)
- French: actif (fr)
- Galician: activo (gl) m
- German: gewandt (de), flink (de)
- Hindi: चपल (hi) (capal)
- Japanese: すばしっこい (subashikkoi)
- Kurdish:
- Northern Kurdish: çalak (ku)
- Latin: actuosus
- Latvian: aktīvs, darbīgs, kustīgs
- Malay: aktif (ms)
- Malayalam: സജീവമായ (sajīvamāya)
- Māori: manahau, manamanahau, toritori, tāwariwari, hohe
- Miwok:
- Central Sierra Miwok: hók-ŋe-
- Norman: acti (Jersey)
- Persian: چست (fa) (čost), چالاک (fa) (čâlâk)
- Portuguese: ativo (pt)
- Russian: акти́вный (ru) (aktívnyj), прово́рный (ru) (provórnyj)
- Scots: leish
- Scottish Gaelic: giobach
- Slovak: živý, energický
- Swedish: aktiv (sv)
- Tagalog: aktibo
- Turkish:
- Ottoman Turkish: یوروك (yürük)
- Ukrainian: акти́вний (uk) (aktývnyj)
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in action
- Arabic: شَغَّال (šaḡḡāl), عَامِل (ʕāmil)
- Bulgarian: акти́вен (bg) (aktíven), де́йстващ (bg) (déjstvašt)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 現行 / 现行 (zh) (xiànxíng)
- Czech: činný (cs) m
- Danish: aktuel (da)
- Estonian: kehtiv
- Finnish: aktiivinen (fi), voimassa oleva, tapahtuva (fi), toiminnassa (fi)
- French: actif (fr)
- German: aktiv (de)
- Greek: ενεργός (el) (energós)
- Ancient Greek: ἐνεργός (energós)
- Hindi: सक्रिय (hi) m (sakriya), क्रियात्मक (hi) (kriyātmak)
- Ido: aktiva (io)
- Japanese: 能動的な (ja) (のうどうてきな, nōdōteki na)
- Latvian: aktīvs
- Norman: acti (Jersey)
- Polish: aktywny (pl), czynny (pl)
- Portuguese: ativado (pt)
- Russian: действи́тельный (ru) (dejstvítelʹnyj), де́йствующий (ru) (déjstvujuščij)
- Slovak: aktuálny (sk), aktívny (sk), prebiehajúci, súčasný (sk), činný
- Slovene: aktíven, dejáven
- Swedish: (volcano) aktiv (sv)
- Tagalog: aktibo
- Turkish: faal (tr)
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given to action
- Azerbaijani: fəal (az), işgüzar, təşəbbüskar
- Bashkir: әүҙем (äwðem)
- Belarusian: акты́ўны (aktýwny)
- Bulgarian: акти́вен (bg) (aktíven), де́ятелен (bg) (déjatelen)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 積極 / 积极 (zh) (jījí), 能動 / 能动 (zh) (néngdòng)
- Esperanto: agema
- Estonian: usin (et)
- Finnish: aktiivinen (fi), tarmokas (fi), toimelias (fi)
- French: actif (fr)
- German: tätig (de)
- Greek: δραστήριος (el) (drastírios)
- Ido: aktiva (io)
- Japanese: 積極的な (ja) (せっきょくてきな, sekkyokuteki na), 能動的な (ja) (のうどうてきな, nōdōteki na)
- Latvian: aktīvs, darbīgs, izdarīgs
- Norman: acti (Jersey)
- Portuguese: ativo (pt)
- Russian: акти́вный (ru) (aktívnyj), де́ятельный (ru) (déjatelʹnyj)
- Slovak: aktívny (sk)
- Slovene: aktíven, dejáven
- Turkish: aktif (tr), etkin (tr), faal (tr)
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requiring or implying action or exertion given to action rather than contemplation brisk; lively
- Amharic: ንቁ (nəḳu)
- Arabic: فَارِه (fārih), حَرِك (ar) (ḥarik)
- Egyptian Arabic: نشيط (nišīṭ)
- Azerbaijani: fəal (az)
- Belarusian: акты́ўны (aktýwny)
- Bulgarian: енерги́чен (bg) (energíčen)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 活躍 / 活跃 (zh) (huóyuè)
- Estonian: elav (et)
- Finnish: eloisa (fi), reipas (fi)
- Hindi: चपल (hi) (capal)
- Ido: aktiva (io)
- Japanese: 活発な (ja) (かっぱつな, kappatsu na), ぴちぴち (ja) (pichipichi), ぴんぴん (pinpin), 活躍 (ja) (かつやく, katsuyaku)
- Latin: actuōsus, alacer
- Latvian: kustīgs, mundrs, možs, spirgts, žirgts, ņiprs
- Malayalam: സജീവ (ml) (sajīva)
- Polish: aktywny (pl)
- Portuguese: ativo (pt)
- Russian: энерги́чный (ru) (enɛrgíčnyj), акти́вный (ru) (aktívnyj), живо́й (ru) (živój)
- Scottish Gaelic: giobach
- Slovak: živý
- Tagalog: aktibo
- Turkish: aktif (tr), etkin (tr)
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in grammar
- Albanian: vepror (sq)
- Arabic: فَاعِل (fāʕil), مَعْلُوم (maʕlūm)
- Armenian: ներգործական (hy) (nergorcakan)
- Belarusian: дзе́йны (dzjéjny), акты́ўны (aktýwny)
- Bulgarian: де́ятелен (bg) (déjatelen), действи́телен (bg) (dejstvítelen), акти́вен (bg) (aktíven)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 主動 / 主动 (zh) (zhǔdòng)
- Czech: činný (cs)
- Danish: aktiv (da)
- Esperanto: aktiva (eo)
- Estonian: isikuline, aktiiv (et)
- Finnish: aktiivi-, aktiivinen (fi)
- French: actif (fr)
- German: aktiv (de)
- Greek: ενεργητικός (el) (energitikós)
- Ancient Greek: ἐνεργητικός (energētikós)
- Hindi: क्रियात्मक (hi) (kriyātmak)
- Hungarian: aktív (hu), cselekvő (hu)
- Ido: aktiva (io)
- Japanese: 能動 (ja) (のうどう, nōdō)
- Korean: 능동(能動) (ko) (neungdong)
- Latin: activus
- Latvian: darāms
- Macedonian: активен (aktiven)
- Manx: jantagh
- Middle English: actyf
- Old English: dǣdlīċ
- Persian: معلوم (fa) (ma'lum)
- Polish: czynny (pl)
- Portuguese: ativo (pt)
- Russian: действи́тельный (ru) (dejstvítelʹnyj), акти́вный (ru) (aktívnyj)
- Scottish Gaelic: spreigeach
- Slovak: činný
- Slovene: tvoren
- Spanish: activo (es)
- Swedish: aktiv (sv)
- Tagalog: tukuyan
- Turkish: etken (tr)
- Ukrainian: ді́йсний (díjsnyj), акти́вний (uk) (aktývnyj)
- Vietnamese: chủ động (vi)
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Translations to be checked See also
Noun
active (plural actives)
- A person or thing that is acting or capable of acting.
1989, The Alcalde, volume 78, number 2, page 11:"Alumni could become more active in giving guidance and leadership to students. They act as sort of a 'maturity governor' on fraternities," notes Ratliff, citing surveys suggesting that fraternity actives presume mistakenly that alumni want hazing […]
- (electronics) Any component that is not passive. See Passivity (engineering).
2013, David Manners, Hitchhikers' Guide to Electronics in the '90s, page 36:Components are split into two broad segments: actives and passives. Active components like the vacuum tube and the transistor contain the power to generate and alter electrical signals.
Further reading
- “active”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin Eli Smith, editors (1895–1910), “active”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.
Anagrams
Asturian
Verb
active
- first-person singular present subjunctive of activar
- third-person singular present subjunctive of activar
French
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
Adjective
active
- feminine singular of actif
Etymology 2
Verb
active
- inflection of activer:
- first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
- second-person singular imperative
Anagrams
Galician
Verb
active
- inflection of activar:
- first/third-person singular present subjunctive
- third-person singular imperative
German
Alternative forms
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Latin āctīvē.
Adverb
active
- (grammar, obsolete) actively
Etymology 2
Adjective
active
- inflection of activ:
- strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
- strong nominative/accusative plural
- weak nominative all-gender singular
- weak accusative feminine/neuter singular
Interlingua
Adjective
active (not comparable)
- active
Related terms
Latin
Etymology 1
Adverb
āctīvē (comparative āctīvius, superlative āctīvissimē)
- (grammar) actively
Etymology 2
Adjective
āctīve
- vocative masculine singular of āctīvus
References
- “active”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- “active”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
- Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894), Latin Phrase-Book[2], London: Macmillan and Co.
- (ambiguous) to put the finishing touch to a work: extrema manus accēdit operi (active extremam manum imponere operi)
- (ambiguous) to be some one's favourite: in amore et deliciis esse alicui (active in deliciis habere aliquem)
Middle English
Adjective
active
- alternative form of actyf
Noun
active
- alternative form of actyf
Portuguese
Verb
active
- inflection of activar:
- first/third-person singular present subjunctive
- third-person singular imperative
Romanian
Pronunciation
Adjective
active
- nominative/accusative feminine/neuter plural of activ
Spanish
Verb
active
- inflection of activar:
- first/third-person singular present subjunctive
- third-person singular imperative
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