Action

How to spell action

6 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce action

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does action mean?

1. nounThe process of doing something, or a thing that is done.
2. nounA legal proceeding brought before a court.

Action in a sentence

• Prompt action prevented the small fire from spreading.

• The supplier threatened to bring a civil action against the firm.

• The committee promised to take action on the complaints.

• A class action was filed on behalf of the affected customers.

Where does action come from?

Language of origin: Latin

The word comes from the Latin actio, meaning 'a doing' or 'a performing', which was built on the verb agere, 'to do, to drive, or to set in motion'. That same agere root sits behind a whole family of English words, including 'agent', 'agile', and 'act' itself. English borrowed 'action' through Old French in the 1300s, where it carried senses of activity, deeds, and legal proceedings all at once. Over time the meaning branched into the everyday sense of doing something, the legal sense of bringing a lawsuit, and the military sense of combat. The spelling keeps the visible 'act' followed by the very common '-tion' ending, so the trap is simply remembering that the 't' belongs to that suffix rather than doubling or softening anything.

How the word is built

• act (from Latin agere: to do, to drive)
• -ion (noun suffix: process or result of)