recreational
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to recreation.
recreational facilities in the park.
-
(of a drug or medication) used for recreation and enjoyment rather than to treat a medical condition.
recreational drugs such as marijuana and alcohol.
adjective
-
of, relating to, or used for recreation
recreational facilities
-
(of a drug) taken for pleasure rather than for medical reasons or because of an addiction
Other Word Forms
- multirecreational adjective
- recreationally adverb
- unrecreational adjective
Etymology
Origin of recreational
First recorded in 1650–60; recreation ( def. ) + -al 1 ( def. )
Explanation
Something is recreational if you do it just for fun. If you're not a professional golfer but love the game, it's recreational. Anything you do because you enjoy it — rather than because you are obligated to do it — is recreational. Hiking, reading, and visiting museums can all be described this way. Recreational means "something done for recreation," and recreation, which was originally "the curing of a sick person," combines the Latin re, "again" and creare, "to create." Today we think of recreational activities as curing our boredom.
Vocabulary lists containing recreational
Least Presidential Vocabulary Used by Presidential Candidates during the GOP Debate (Sept. 16, 2015)
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Courage to Soar
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Out of My Mind
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Octane Lending, which finances motorcycles, ATVs, RVs and other outdoor recreational equipment, entered into up to $700 million of agreements with New York Life, Equitable and a unit of MetLife.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026
After the death of the late Queen's grandfather in 1936, for example, the King George V playing fields project was set up to protect recreational grounds across the country.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
For March, they expect this to add about 0.03 percentage points to inflation, particularly in sectors that rely on imports such as recreational goods.
From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026
It then hit their fallback sites including sports arenas and recreational facilities.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026
That first season, the Fugees played in a recreational, or rec, league, an informal division teams played in before they could enter competition in the “select” grouping.
From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
