sedentary
Americanadjective
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characterized by or requiring a sitting posture.
a sedentary occupation.
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accustomed to sit or rest a great deal or to take little exercise.
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Chiefly Zoology.
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abiding in one place; not migratory.
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pertaining to animals that move about little or are permanently attached to something, as a barnacle.
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adjective
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characterized by or requiring a sitting position
sedentary work
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tending to sit about without taking much exercise
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(of animals) moving about very little, usually because of attachment to a rock or other surface
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(of animals) not migratory
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"It's all about balance. We know that too much sedentary screen time can have a negative effect on children's development," speech and language therapist Janet Cooper previously told the BBC's Tiny Happy People website.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
"Once a person starts earning money, he becomes more sedentary here," says bariatric surgeon Sanjay Borude.
From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026
Previous research has largely examined links between sedentary lifestyles and depression, rather than analyzing how switching to specific alternative activities might influence the risk of developing the condition.
From Science Daily • Feb. 12, 2026
While an EV is environmentally friendly, she argues it’s sedentary.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026
With the rise of dense, sedentary, food-producing populations came the rise of chiefs, kings, and bureaucrats.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
