adj · noun · 17 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
One of the two fundamental objects of study in calculus (the other being integration), which quantifies the rate of change, tangency, and other qualities arising from the local behavior of a function.
The derived function of f(x): the function giving the instantaneous rate of change of f; equivalently, the function giving the slope of the line tangent to the graph of f. Written f'(x) or (df)/(dx) in Leibniz's notation, ̇f(x) in Newton's notation (the latter used particularly when the independent variable is time).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: calculus, mathematics, sciences
Examples
The derivative of x2 is 2x; if f(x)#61;x2, then f'(x)#61;2x
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
One of the two fundamental objects of study in calculus (the other being integration), which quantifies the rate of change, tangency, and other qualities arising from the local behavior of a function.
The value of such a derived function for a given value of its independent variable: the rate of change of a function at a point in its domain.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: calculus, mathematics, sciences
Examples
The derivative of f(x)#61;x3 at x#61;2 is 12.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
noun
Meaning 11
One of the two fundamental objects of study in calculus (the other being integration), which quantifies the rate of change, tangency, and other qualities arising from the local behavior of a function.
Any of several related generalizations of the derivative: the directional derivative, partial derivative, Fréchet derivative, functional derivative, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: calculus, mathematics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
noun
Meaning 12
One of the two fundamental objects of study in calculus (the other being integration), which quantifies the rate of change, tangency, and other qualities arising from the local behavior of a function.
The linear operator that maps functions to their derived functions, usually written D; the simplest differential operator.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: generally
Topics: calculus, mathematics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
adjective satellite
Meaning 13
resulting from or employing derivation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a derivative process
a highly derivative prose style
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
14
noun
Meaning 14
the result of mathematical differentiation; the instantaneous change of one quantity relative to another; df(x)/dx
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: derived function, differential coefficient, differential, first derivative
(linguistics) a word that is derived from another word
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
`electricity' is a derivative of `electric'
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: word
16
noun
Meaning 16
a financial instrument whose value is based on another security
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: derivative instrument
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: legal document, legal instrument, official document, instrument
Narrower terms: futures contract, option
17
noun
Meaning 17
a compound obtained from, or regarded as derived from, another compound
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: compound, chemical compound
History
Etymology
From Middle French dérivatif, from Latin dērīvātus, perfect passive participle of dērīvō (“to derive”). Related to derive; by surface analysis, derive + -ative.
Across languages
Translations
167 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
произво́ден
(proizvóden)
— obtained by derivation
Catalan:
derivatiu
— obtained by derivation
Chinese Mandarin:
派生的
(páishēng de)
— obtained by derivation
Chinese Mandarin:
衍生的
(yánshēng de)
— obtained by derivation
Danish:
afledt
— obtained by derivation
Finnish:
johdettu
— obtained by derivation
French:
dérivé
— obtained by derivation
German:
nachahmend
— obtained by derivation
German:
kopierend
— obtained by derivation
Ancient Greek:
παρώνυμος
(parṓnumos)
— obtained by derivation
Hungarian:
származtatott
— obtained by derivation
Hungarian:
képzett
— obtained by derivation
Māori:
mino
— obtained by derivation
Polish:
pochodny
— obtained by derivation
Polish:
wtórny
— obtained by derivation
Portuguese:
derivativo
— obtained by derivation
Russian:
произво́дный
(proizvódnyj)
— obtained by derivation
Danish:
imiterende
— imitative of the work of someone else
Finnish:
mukaileva
— imitative of the work of someone else
Finnish:
mukailtu
— imitative of the work of someone else
Māori:
tāwhaiwhai
— imitative of the work of someone else
Danish:
afledt
— (copyright) referring to a work based on another work
Finnish:
jälkiperäinen
— (copyright) referring to a work based on another work
Finnish:
muunneltu
— (copyright) referring to a work based on another work
French:
dérivé
— (copyright) referring to a work based on another work
Finnish:
johdannainen
— (finance) having a value that depends on an underlying asset
French:
dérivé
— (finance) having a value that depends on an underlying asset
Hungarian:
másodlagos
— (finance) having a value that depends on an underlying asset