productivity

American  

[proh-duhk-tiv-i-tee, prod-uhk‑] / ˌproʊ dʌkˈtɪv ɪ ti, ˌprɒd ʌk‑ /

noun

1. the quality, state, or fact of being able to generate, create, enhance, or bring forth goods and services.

   The productivity of the group's effort surprised everyone.

2. Economics. the rate at which goods and services having exchange value are brought forth or produced.

   Productivity increased dramatically last year.

3. Grammar. the ability to form new words using established patterns and discrete linguistic elements, as the derivational affixes -ness and -ity,

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productivity British  

/ ˌprɒdʌkˈtɪvɪtɪ /

noun

1. the output of an industrial concern in relation to the materials, labour, etc, it employs

2. the state of being productive

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productivity Cultural  

1. In business, a measure of worker efficiency, such as one hundred units per hour. In economics, involvement in the creation of goods and services to produce wealth.

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Other Word Forms

• antiproductivity
  adjective
• nonproductivity
  noun
• semiproductivity
  noun
• unproductivity
  noun

Etymology

Origin of productivity

First recorded in 1800–10; productiv(e) ( def. ) + -ity ( def. )

Explanation

Use the noun productivity to describe how much you can get done. Your boss at work probably keeps track of your productivity — meaning he’s checking to see how much work you do and how well you do it. The word productivity is often used in the workplace. It can describe the performance of individual workers, a department, or even an entire industry. You’ll often hear it used with a percentage. Your boss might come in with a smile and say that productivity has increased by 30 percent. Productivity is also frequently used in relation to farming. If you live in a farming community you likely hear news reports about agricultural productivity in your area.

Example Sentences

Salinity plays a major role in how nutrients and carbon move through the ocean, meaning these changes could affect the productivity and chemistry of the Southern Ocean, one of Earth's most important carbon sinks.

From Science Daily • May 14, 2026

In the bullish scenario where the S&P 500 climbs to 9,400, earnings expansion exceeds their estimates, perhaps by AI-driven productivity or even by companies hiring less in advance of the technology being fully implemented.

From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026

"Leadership in the technology... will define the next decade of productivity and growth, so it's in everyone's interest that the two superpowers find common ground on sensible guardrails for AI."

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

The company claimed that its AI agent tool WorkBuddy is currently the most widely used productivity AI agent service in China.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

Actually, though, there are big differences between the productivity and wealth of different business sectors even within the same country.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• capacity
• fertility
• production
• yield