1. The condition of remaining inactive; a lack of initiative: Marge's passivity following the devastating news was exemplified by her being in state of numbness and apathy.
2. Submission to others or to outside influences: Passivity might help a person from getting into a fight!
3. The tendency of a body to persevere in a given state, either of motion or rest, until disturbed by another body: Greg was in a state of passivity while in bed sleeping, but this was suddenly changed when the fire alarm went off in his building!
4. Chemical inactivity: Passivity pertains particularly to the resistance to corrosion of certain metals when covered with a coherent oxide layer.