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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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.
The 19.3-acre campus includes a museum, foundation offices, a public library and recreational spaces.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
Charter fishing crews in California harbors are preparing for recreational salmon fishing to reopen after a two-year shutdown.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026
I play nine holes with a ladies’ recreational group on Wednesday evenings from April through October.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
The IOC has been clear that its new approach only applies to elite sport, but some campaigners are calling for it to be extended to recreational activity too.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
He said he was not just a car, truck, and recreational vehicle salesman—he was selling the American dream.
From "Landscape with Invisible Hand" by M.T. Anderson
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.
