sedentary

American  

[sed-n-ter-ee] / ˈsɛd nˌtɛr i /

adjective

1. characterized by or requiring a sitting posture.

   a sedentary occupation.

2. accustomed to sit or rest a great deal or to take little exercise.

3. Chiefly Zoology.

   1. abiding in one place; not migratory.

   2. pertaining to animals that move about little or are permanently attached to something, as a barnacle.

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sedentary British  

/ ˈsɛdəntərɪ, -trɪ /

adjective

1. characterized by or requiring a sitting position

   sedentary work

2. tending to sit about without taking much exercise

3. (of animals) moving about very little, usually because of attachment to a rock or other surface

4. (of animals) not migratory

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Other Word Forms

• nonsedentarily adverb
• nonsedentariness noun
• nonsedentary adjective
• presedentary adjective
• sedentarily adjective
• sedentariness noun
• unsedentary adjective

Etymology

Origin of sedentary

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin sedentārius “sitting,” equivalent to sedent- (stem of sedēns, present participle of sedēre “to sit ¹ ”; -ent ) + -ārius -ary

Example Sentences

"Once a person starts earning money, he becomes more sedentary here," says bariatric surgeon Sanjay Borude.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

Urban lifestyles, carbohydrate-heavy diets and sedentary habits have helped drive both conditions.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

As diets have shifted toward calorie-dense foods and daily life has become more sedentary, rates of these disorders have climbed steadily around the world.

From Science Daily • Feb. 6, 2026

While an EV is environmentally friendly, she argues it’s sedentary.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026

Studies of sedentary flesh, painted by men who’d never been there.

From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood

Related Words

• inactive