CS Knowledge Base

• behaviour (UK)
• behavoure, behavier, behavor, behavour (all obsolete)

From Middle English behavoure, behaver, from behaven (modern behave), morphologically equivalent to behave +‎ -ior. The suffix was adopted in imitation of havour (modern haviour, havior), an etymologically unrelated word that was corrupted from Anglo‐Norman Anglo-Norman aveir and Old French Old French avoir (“property, wealth”) through false association with the native English verb have. The French term derives ultimately from Latin Latin habēre (“to have, hold”).

Compare Scots havings (“behavior”), from have (“to behave”). Replaced Old English ġebǣru.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /bɪˈheɪ.vjə/
• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /bɪˈheɪ.vjəɹ/

  • Audio (Texas):

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  • Audio (US):

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• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /bɪˈhæɪ.vjə/
• (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /bəˈhæɪ.vjə/
• Rhymes: -eɪvjə(ɹ)
• Hyphenation: be‧ha‧vior

behavior (usually uncountable, plural behaviors) (American spelling)

1. (uncountable) Human conduct relative to social norms.
   • 2014 September 23, A teacher, “Choosing a primary school: a teacher's guide for parents”, in The Guardian:

     Teachers will probably be on their best behaviour for your visit – but don't be upset if they don't even notice you; they've got enough going on.

2. (countable, uncountable) The way or manner a living creature behaves or acts generally.
3. (uncountable, informal) A state of probation about one's conduct.

   He was on his best behavior when her family visited.

4. (countable, uncountable, biology, psychology) An observable response produced by an organism.
5. (uncountable) The way a device or system operates.

• Raymond Williams (1983), “Behavior”, in Keywords: A Vocabulary of Culture and Society, revised American edition, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, published 1985, →ISBN, page 43.
• “behavior”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin Eli Smith, editors (1895–1910), “behavior”, in The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia: […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.