productivity

Everyday

1. How much work, goods or results someone or something produces in a certain time: «Productivity rose when the new machines came.» tree →
2. The quality of being productive, getting a lot done. tree →
3. (science) How much plant or animal life a place produces, like a field or a lake. tree →

In the lessons

In maths and money lessons productivity compares output with time or workers: more done per hour means higher productivity. In everyday life it is about using time well. In geography a farm's productivity is how much food it grows. Phrases: «high productivity», «boost productivity», «productivity per hour».

Examples

• The factory's productivity doubled with new robots. tree →
• Short breaks can improve your productivity when you study. tree →
• Good soil increases the productivity of the farm. tree →
• My productivity drops when I'm tired. tree →
• The ocean near the coast has high productivity because of plankton. tree →
• Workers asked for more pay because productivity had gone up. tree →

Note

Uncountable: no plural. Adjective: productive. Maths: productivity = output ÷ input (for example, 60 toys made in 3 hours = 20 toys per hour). Being busy is not the same as being productive.