spontaneity

American  

[spon-tuh-nee-i-tee, -ney-] / ˌspɒn təˈni ɪ ti, -ˈneɪ- /

noun

plural

spontaneities

1. the state, quality, or fact of being spontaneous.

2. spontaneous activity.

3. spontaneities, spontaneous impulses, movements, or actions.

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spontaneity British  

/ -ˈneɪ-, ˌspɒntəˈniːɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being spontaneous

2. (often plural) the exhibiting of actions, impulses, or behaviour that are stimulated by internal processes

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Usage

What does spontaneity mean? Spontaneity is the state or quality of being spontaneous—happening naturally and without being planned.When you describe an action or event as spontaneous, it means it happened naturally, without having been planned, as in The meeting turned into a spontaneous dance party. Spontaneity can also refer to this kind of spontaneous activity.When something that someone does is described as spontaneous, it means it was done out of a natural impulse, without having been thought about beforehandWhen spontaneous is used to describe a person, it means they have a tendency to or are known for doing things impulsively and without planning. This is usually used in a positive way to portray them as a fun person who is adventurous and willing to do things on the spur of the moment. Telling someone to be more spontaneous or introduce more spontaneity into their life means you want them to be more flexible and willing to do more things on a whim instead of needing for things to be completely structured or scheduled.Example: I feel stuck in a routine—I need more spontaneity in my life.

Etymology

Origin of spontaneity

First recorded in 1645–55; from Late Latin spontāne(us) spontaneous + -ity

Example Sentences

“She loves as much spontaneity as possible, and she loves to not really know ahead of time what the actor’s going to do,” Woodall says.

From Los Angeles Times

“You see the band watching him, you see him cuing them, you see the playfulness, the spontaneity, the fan reactions and his reactions to them,” Gausman continued.

From The Wall Street Journal

"It's obviously not something that you can replicate online, it reduces the spontaneity and depth of research that you can do," Riki said.

From BBC

Still, Patrick says he misses the spontaneity of life, and fitting in with people his age by "participating in society" as expected, as well as actively playing with his children.

From BBC

"Her spontaneity, emotive restraint and quiet confidence stood out immediately. Her courage to move far from home and attempt something entirely new at this age won us over."

From BBC