interaction

/ˌˈɪntərˌˈækʃən/

/ɪntəˈrækʃɪn/

Other forms: interactions

If you interact with someone — by talking, looking, sharing, or engaging in any kind of action that involves the two of you — you can be said to have had an interaction with that person.

Interaction comes from Latin inter meaning "between," and ago meaning "to do" or "to act" — any “action between” is considered an interaction, like the interaction between a teacher and a student, two countries, or even baking soda and vinegar (boom!).

Definitions of interaction

1. noun

   a mutual or reciprocal action; interacting
   types:

   interplay

   reciprocal action and reaction

   contact

   close interaction

   give-and-take, interchange, reciprocation

   mutual interaction; the activity of reciprocating or exchanging (especially information)

   brush

   contact with something dangerous or undesirable

   eye contact

   contact that occurs when two people look directly at each other

   placement

   contact established between applicants and prospective employees

   reciprocity

   mutual exchange of commercial or other privileges

   cross-fertilisation, cross-fertilization

   interchange between different cultures or different ways of thinking that is mutually productive and beneficial

   dealings, traffic

   social or verbal interchange (usually followed by `with')

   type of:

   action

   something done (usually as opposed to something said)
2. noun

   (physics) the transfer of energy between elementary particles or between an elementary particle and a field or between fields; mediated by gauge bosons
   synonyms: fundamental interaction

   types:

   electromagnetic interaction

   an interaction between charged elementary particles that is intermediate in strength between the strong and weak interactions; mediated by photons

   gravitational interaction

   a weak interaction between particles that results from their mass; mediated by gravitons

   color force, strong force, strong interaction

   (physics) the interaction that binds protons and neutrons together in the nuclei of atoms; mediated by gluons

   weak force, weak interaction

   (physics) an interaction between elementary particles involving neutrinos or antineutrinos that is responsible for certain kinds of radioactive decay; mediated by intermediate vector bosons

   type of:

   physical phenomenon

   a natural phenomenon involving the physical properties of matter and energy