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Veknoid_Outcast said:

During one of my many attempts to convince others that Zelda is not an RPG series, I came up with a definition of action-adventure that works pretty well. What do you think of this?

"Action-adventure games, on the other hand, are, unsurprisingly, a mixture of elements from action and adventure games. They feature 1) action elements that require quick reflexes and good hand-eye coordination like real-time combat and physical challenges, 2) adventure elements like exploration, puzzle-solving, inventory systems, dialogue, and story, and, consequently, 3) a combination of violent and non-violent trials to overcome."

I'm not too keen on this, since Action/RPGs can easily fit this definition. And I don't believe adventure games cam claim to be the origin or have ownserhip over any of the listed mechanics, particularly since the RPG genre has been around for a similarly long time. Story focus, exploration, inventory systems, dialogue... I don't think this works until you set a boundary for the RPG genre and clean up possible exceptions. This may need to be done for the puzzle genre, too.

Your definition of action-adventure fits with what is generally accepted, but I still think the definition of "adventure game" is problematic itself.