Ontspannings

Ontspannings is a Dutch combining form used to describe activities, media, and sectors related to relaxation and leisure. In standard usage the base noun is ontspanning, meaning relaxation or relief from effort. Ontspannings appears most often in compound nouns such as ontspanningsactiviteiten (relaxation activities), ontspanningsindustrie (leisure industry), or ontspanningsmedia (entertainment media). The term signals a domain focused on reducing stress, restoring energy, and providing pleasure through non-work activities.

Scope: It encompasses psychological and physiological processes of relaxation, as well as the social and cultural practices around leisure. Activities range from passive forms like watching films to active forms like sports, travel, hobbies, mindfulness, and social gatherings.

Influences: In policy and design, the concept informs urban planning, workplace wellness programs, and public health campaigns, aiming to create spaces and routines that facilitate rest and recreation.

Related terms: ontspanning; ontspanningsactiviteiten; ontspanningsindustrie; entertainment categories; recreation; leisure studies.