Interactivity

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɪntəɹækˈtɪvɪti/

Definitions

1. The ability of a system or environment to facilitate mutual engagement and response between users and content occurs when both parties can influence the interaction process effectively
2. A property that allows individuals to share information and affect one another's actions through engaging communication and feedback exists in environments designed for collaborative experiences
3. The quality of a system or environment that enables users to actively participate and influence outcomes through back-and-forth communication

Etymology: Interactivity is a plain English formation built from two existing parts: the prefix "inter-", meaning "between" or "among", and "activity", with "interactive" serving as the base for the suffix "-ity", which turns an adjective into a noun for a quality. The result describes the quality of acting between parties rather than in isolation. The word's strongest connection is to the older "interactive", itself built on "inter-" and "active". That history explains the sense: something interactive is something that acts upon something else, and the noun names the state of doing so. Its modern meaning, the capacity of people and systems to share information and respond to one another, is an extension of this basic idea of mutual action.

Synonyms: engagement, participation

Antonyms: passivity