Home / Dictionary / Behaviour

Behaviour Very Common

Origin: Germanic Old English prefix

Behaviour has 5 different meanings across 1 category:

Noun

Definitions
Noun
1

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

"the behavior of small particles can be studied in experiments"

2

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

"His polite behaviour toward his new neighbors made them feel immediately welcome in the community."

3

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

"The psychologist analyzed the rat's behaviour to understand how its learned responses changed when placed in a new maze."

4

manner of acting or controlling yourself

"The teacher praised him for his good behaviour during the long bus ride home."

5

Alternative spelling of behavior

"The teacher noted that his behaviour during the exam was unusually quiet and focused."

In plain English: Behavior is the way someone acts or conducts themselves.

"The children's noisy behaviour made it difficult for everyone to study."

Usage: Use "behaviour" as the standard British English spelling for the way someone acts in society or under specific circumstances. It functions identically to the American variant "behavior," differing only in regional orthography.

Example Sentences
"The children's noisy behaviour made it difficult for everyone to study." noun
"His behaviour at the party was quite rude and disruptive." noun
"Teachers often have to deal with difficult student behaviour in class." noun
"The sudden change in her behaviour worried her friends greatly." noun
Related Terms
behave manner hanky panky sociobiology civilise demeanor kinesic profanation ethography behaviours tip off diss self conscious table manners do pickiness road rage guideline negative reinforcement race relations
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
action trait activity
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
manners citizenship swashbuckling propriety impropriety manner territoriality aggression bohemianism dirty pool dirty tricks discourtesy easiness the way of the world

Origin

Derived from Old French behoir (to be necessary) via Anglo-French behavor, it originally meant conduct that was appropriate or fitting to one's station. The spelling shifted in British English to reflect its pronunciation, distinguishing it from the American variant "behavior.

Rhyming Words
our nour your cour hour jour lour dour four tour sour pour stour ofour odour flour clour scour glour amour
Compare
Behaviour vs