recreational English · revision 15015

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1656}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[recreation]] and [[-al]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of or relating to recreation: 1656 in the OED and Merriam-Webster, the 1650s in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Recreational mathematics'', studied for pleasure, is from 1940.^(OED 1989) A ''recreational drug'', taken for pleasure, is attested from 1967.^(Etymonline)^(Collins 2023) A recreationalist, who promotes facilities for recreation, is from 1970.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1656 – recreational.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1940 – recreational mathematics.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1967 – recreational drug.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1970 – recreationalist.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of, relating to or used for [[recreation]]: ''recreational facilities''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Of a drug, taken for pleasure rather than for medical reasons or from addiction.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[recreationally]]

+ * [[recreational drug]]

+ * [[recreational vehicle]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[recreation]]

+ * [[recreate]]

+ * [[create]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}