interaction

[ in-ter-ak-shuhn ]

noun

1. reciprocal action, effect, or influence.
2. Physics.
   1. the direct effect that one kind of particle has on another, in particular, in inducing the emission or absorption of one particle by another.
   2. the mathematical expression that specifies the nature and strength of this effect.

interaction

/ ˌɪntərˈækʃən /

noun

1. a mutual or reciprocal action or influence
2. See electroweak interaction, weak interaction, gravitational interaction, fundamental interaction, electromagnetic interaction, strong interaction
   physics the transfer of energy between elementary particles, between a particle and a field, or between fields See strong interaction electromagnetic interaction fundamental interaction gravitational interaction weak interaction electroweak interaction

Derived Forms

• ˌinterˈactional, adjective

Other Words From

• inter·action·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of interaction¹

First recorded in 1825–35; inter- + action

Example Sentences

Part of the fun of going out to eat is the interaction, even at a distance, with staff.

From Washington Post

In addition, the league is seeking to limit social interactions for teams on the road.

From Washington Post

Board meetings are quickly increasing in their significance to foster consistent and vital interactions as an organization.

From TechCrunch

Pandemics are as much a product of human behavior as they are of biology, because a virus spreads via social interaction.

From Washington Post

You find them, run and hide, though there is more interaction between monster and player in comparison to the first game.

From Washington Post

After four or five months of casual interaction, they realized they both had lost a young parent to cancer.

From The Daily Beast

Sometimes everything wrong with a larger dynamic is captured in one small interaction.

From The Daily Beast

Otherwise, we morally erode the environment to be the type that makes interaction with others so difficult in the first place.

From The Daily Beast

I think the first obvious thing we can do is videotape every police interaction—body cams, in-car cameras—you name it.

From The Daily Beast

Still, after nearly a month at sea, I imagine they are eager to recharge, ready for interaction with the outside world.

From The Daily Beast

Metaphysicians have argued endlessly as to the interaction of mind and matter.

From Project Gutenberg

Discusses the interaction between physical and mental things, and the possibility of freedom in a world of fixed causes.

From Project Gutenberg

The student of human progress is likely to be increasingly impressed with the interaction between ideas and institutions.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus, here also each element reinforces every other; all the factors of life are in constant interaction.

From Project Gutenberg

We see this complex process of the interaction of language and thought actually taking place under our eyes.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• communication
• cooperation
• synergy