Behaviour

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -eɪviÉ™(ɹ)

Alternative forms

• behavior US
• behavoure, behavier, behaver, behavor, behavour obsolete

Origin

From behave + -iour, apparently in simulation of haviour, havior, havour. Compare Scots havings ("behaviour"), from have ("to behave").

Full definition of behaviour

Noun

1. The way a living creature behaves or acts.She can't stop the strange behaviour because she has OCD, which stands for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
2. The way a device or system operates.

Usage notes

Adjectives often applied to "behaviour" include: human, animal, physical, chemical, mechanical, electrical, organizational, corporate, social, collective, parental, interpersonal, sexual, criminal, appropriate, inappropriate, correct, incorrect, right, wrong, good, bad, acceptable, unacceptable, poor, ethical, unethical, moral, immoral, responsible, irresponsible, normal, odd, deviant, abnormal, violent, abusive, aggressive, offensive, defensive, rude, stupid, undesirable, verbal, nonverbal, learned, professional, unprofessional, adaptive, compulsive, questionable, assertive, disgusting, self-destructive.

Related terms

Derived terms

• human behaviour