Interaction

/ˌɪntərˈækʃən/

nounBeginner🔥Very CommonProcess
1 meaning2 idioms/phrases3 questions

Definitions

1

A mutual or reciprocal action or influence.

/ˌɪntərˈækʃən/

nounneutralBeginner
Process

Reciprocal action or influence

The teacher encouraged student interaction in the classroom.

💡 Simply: It's like when you and a friend are playing a game and taking turns. Every time someone makes a move, that's an interaction. It's also like when you chat and reply to messages. It’s the back-and-forth action between two or more things.

👶 For kids: When two things do something together, like when you and a friend play a game and take turns.

More Examples

2

The scientists studied the interaction between the drug and the body.

3

The website's design focuses on user interaction to improve the experience.

How It's Used

Social Science

"Social interaction is crucial for child development."

Physics

"The interaction between two particles is described by their forces."

Computer Science

"User interaction with the software is essential for its usability."

Synonyms & Antonyms

Idioms & expressions

social interaction

The ways in which people communicate and behave with each other in society.

"Children learn social skills through social interactions."

human-computer interaction (HCI)

The study, planning, and design of the interaction between people (users) and computers.

"User-friendly interfaces are a key component of human-computer interaction."

From Late Latin *interactio*, from *interagere* meaning 'to act together,' from *inter-* (between) + *agere* (to do, act).

The word 'interaction' gained prominence in the 20th century, particularly in fields like social sciences, psychology, and computer science, reflecting a growing emphasis on interconnectedness and reciprocal influence.

Memory tip

Think of an *inter*view where people *act*ively communicate – an *interaction*!

Word Origin

LanguageLate Latin
Original meaning

"to act together"

social interactionuser interactionmutual interactionverbal interactioncomplex interaction

Common misspellings

interractionintereaction

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written