Sedentary means staying in one place most of the time, without much movement or physical activity. A sedentary job is one where you sit at a desk all day, like computer programming or accounting. A sedentary lifestyle means spending most of your time sitting, watching TV, playing video games, or reading instead of running around outside.

The word often describes how someone spends their days. Before modern times, most people had physically active jobs like farming, building, or hunting. Today, many adults have sedentary jobs where they sit for hours. Students can have sedentary days too, sitting through classes and then sitting again to do homework.

Being too sedentary isn't great for your body, which is built to move. That's why recess matters so much at school, and why many people with sedentary jobs make sure to exercise, take walks, or play sports in their free time. Your muscles, bones, and heart all stay stronger when you balance sitting time with active time.

Scientists also use sedentary to describe animals that don't move around much. A barnacle lives a sedentary life attached to a rock, while a wolf roams across miles of territory every day.