Word forms: plural behavioursregional note: in AM, use behavior
1. variable noun
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave. You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour.
Make sure that good behaviour is rewarded.
...human sexual behaviour.
These eating patterns are a learned behavior.
2. uncountable noun [with poss]
In science, the behaviour of something is the way that it behaves.
It will be many years before anyone can predict a hurricane's behavior with muchaccuracy.
3.
See on o's best behaviour
More Synonyms of behaviour
behaviour in British English
or US behavior (bɪˈheɪvjə)
noun
1.
manner of behaving or conducting oneself
2. on one's best behaviour
3. psychology
a.
the aggregate of all the responses made by an organism in any situation
b.
a specific response of a certain organism to a specific stimulus or group of stimuli
4.
the action, reaction, or functioning of a system, under normal or specified circumstances
Derived forms
behavioural (beˈhavioural) or US behavioral (beˈhavioral)
adjective
Word origin
C15: from behave; influenced in form by Middle English havior, from Old French havoir, from Latin habēre to have
behaviour in American English
(biˈheɪvjər; bɪˈheɪvjər)
noun
British
behavior
COBUILD Collocations
behaviour
affect behaviour
alter behaviour
appalling behaviour
change behaviour
condone behaviour
consumer behaviour
controlling behaviour
disgusting behaviour
disruptive behaviour
diva behaviour
drunken behaviour
eccentric behaviour
encourage behaviour
exemplary behaviour
exhibit behaviour
extreme behaviour
human behaviour
illegal behaviour
irresponsible behaviour
normal behaviour
outrageous behaviour
reckless behaviour
reinforce behaviour
reward behaviour
risky behaviour
tackle behaviour
unruly behaviour
Examples of 'behaviour' in a sentence
behaviour
Studies show male addicts are also more likely to display antisocial behaviour.
The Sun (2016)
What went on is not normal behaviour.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Own your bad behaviour and apologise for it.
The Sun (2016)
With time off for good behaviour he is likely to walk free after just three or four.
The Sun (2016)
To judge wartime killing by the standards of peace is to misunderstand the nature of war and human behaviour during conflict.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
It's just good behaviour and good manners.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He says men and women have some typical behaviour in long-term relationships.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
London councils have had hundreds of complaints about abuse of short-term lets from neighbours concerned about antisocial behaviour.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We have a caretaker and security systems and no antisocial behaviour at all.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The second most witnessed behaviour was groups hanging around on the streets.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The stampede may be natural human behaviour.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
This is not normal fashion designer behaviour.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The danger of creeping court secrecy is that it allows bad behaviour to go unchecked.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
That help you extend good behaviour beyond the house.
The Sun (2006)
It is a standard of behaviour and manners that is recognisable in any strata of society.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The script giving the regulars unbelievable lines and behaviour that was way off character.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In all religions men are the model of behaviour and action.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
This memory influences your behaviour in similar situations.
Vera Peiffer POSITIVE THINKING: Everything you have always known about positive thinking but wereafraid to put into practice (2001)
Whether these flights were acts of bravery or their natural behaviour is something you can argue about.
The Sun (2014)
Many disabled people are still reluctant to report antisocial behaviour.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The equity ethos very much drives the behaviour of the group and drives success.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
In the four years since the financial crash human behaviour has changed.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
This is not normal behaviour for an elite sports star.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Is there any way your behaviour could have been misinterpreted as bullying?
The Sun (2012)
He should at least be subject to internal disciplinary action for his behaviour.
The Sun (2010)
It could be that your visits clashed with a week of bad behaviour and that things have now settled down.
The Sun (2006)
The intensity of feeling passes into the unconscious area of the mind and slips out in our behaviour in another situation.
Knowles, Jane Know Your Own Mind (1991)
There are issues with crime and drugs and anti-social behaviour.
The Sun (2009)
The moves led to a massive decrease in anti-social behaviour.
The Sun (2007)
It is blamed for city-centre violence, antisocial behaviour and all manner of other evils.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Quotations
Perfect behaviour is born of complete indifferenceCesare PaveseThis Business of Living
In other languages
behaviour
British English: behaviour /bɪˈheɪvjə/ NOUN
A person's behaviour is the way they behave.
...anti-social behaviour.
American English: behavior
Arabic: سُلُوك
Brazilian Portuguese: comportamento
Chinese: 行为
Croatian: ponašanje
Czech: chování
Danish: opførsel
Dutch: gedrag
European Spanish: conducta
Finnish: käyttäytyminen
French: comportement
German: Benehmen
Greek: συμπεριφορά
Italian: comportamento
Japanese: 態度
Korean: 행동
Norwegian: oppførsel
Polish: zachowanie
European Portuguese: comportamento
Romanian: comportament
Russian: поведение
Latin American Spanish: conducta
Swedish: uppförande
Thai: พฤติกรรม
Turkish: davranış
Ukrainian: поведінка
Vietnamese: cách cư xử
All related terms of 'behaviour'
alter behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
diva behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
human behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
risky behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
acquired behaviour
the behaviour of an organism resulting from the effects of the environment
affect behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
behaviour patterns
the characteristic ways in which a person or animal acts
behaviour therapy
any of various means of treating psychological disorders , such as desensitization, aversion therapy , and instrumental conditioning, that depend on the patient systematically learning new modes of behaviour
buying behaviour
the behaviours displayed by consumers when they purchase things, such as preferences , price points, etc
change behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
condone behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
consumer behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
drunken behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
exhibit behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
extreme behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
illegal behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave. You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
indecent behaviour
the offence of committing indecent acts
normal behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave. You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
reckless behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
reward behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
tackle behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
unruly behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
appalling behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
behaviour modification
the use of techniques to change someone's behaviour by reinforcing desired behaviour
code of behaviour
the generally accepted rules governing how people behave
consummatory behaviour
any behaviour that leads directly to the satisfaction of an innate drive , e. g . eating or drinking
controlling behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
disgusting behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
disruptive behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
eccentric behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
encourage behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
exemplary behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
outrageous behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
reinforce behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
satisficing behaviour
the form of behaviour demonstrated by firms who seek satisfactory profits and satisfactory growth rather than maximum profits
threatening behaviour
intimidation or intentional behaviour that causes another person to fear injury or harm
unreasonable behaviour
conduct by a spouse sufficient to cause the irretrievable breakdown of a marriage
irresponsible behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
on o's best behaviour
If someone is on their best behaviour , they are trying very hard to behave well .
applied behaviour analysis
a form of therapy in which the patient is taught to identify and modify undesirable forms of behaviour, used esp for people with autism