Standard Lemma guide

generative

adj · 4 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.

  • UK: /ˈd͡ʒɛnəɹətɪv/
  • UK: /ˈd͡ʒɛnɹətɪv/
  • UK: /d͡ʒəˈnɛɹətɪv/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Canada, US: /ˈd͡ʒɛnəɹətɪv/
  • Canada, US: [ˈd͡ʒɛnəɹəɾɪv]
  • Canada, US: /ˈd͡ʒɛnɹətɪv/
  • Canada, US: [ˈd͡ʒɛnɹəɾɪv]
  • Canada, US: /d͡ʒəˈnɛɹətɪv/
  • Canada, US: [d͡ʒəˈnɛɹəɾɪv]
  • Australian: /ˈd͡ʒenəɹətɪv/
  • Australian: [ˈd͡ʒenəɹəɾɪv]
  • CMU ARPABET: JH EH1 N ER0 AH0 T IH0 V Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Having the power of generating, propagating, originating, or producing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: creative

Antonyms: annihilative

2

adj

Meaning 2

Reproductive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: euphemistic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective

Meaning 3

having the ability to produce or originate

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • generative power
  • generative forces

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: productive

Antonyms: consumptive

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

producing new life or offspring

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the reproductive potential of a species is its relative capacity to reproduce itself under optimal conditions
  • the reproductive or generative organs

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: procreative, reproductive

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh1- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh1os Proto-Italic *genos Latin genus Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh2yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h2tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin genero Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Old French -ifbor. Middle English -yf Middle English generatyve English generative Inherited from Middle English generatyve. By surface analysis, generate + -ive. Compare French génératif.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: размножителен (razmnožitelen) — having the power of generating
  • Bulgarian: производителен (proizvoditelen) — having the power of generating
  • Catalan: generatiu — having the power of generating
  • Finnish: generatiivinen — having the power of generating
  • French: génératif — having the power of generating
  • Georgian: მაწარმოებელი (mac̣armoebeli) — having the power of generating
  • Georgian: წარმომშობი (c̣armomšobi) — having the power of generating
  • German: generativ — having the power of generating
  • Italian: generativo — having the power of generating
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: generativ — having the power of generating
  • Portuguese: generativo — having the power of generating
  • Romanian: generativ — having the power of generating
  • Serbo-Croatian: ге̏нератӣван — having the power of generating
  • Serbo-Croatian: ства̀ралачки — having the power of generating
  • Serbo-Croatian: gȅneratīvan — having the power of generating
  • Serbo-Croatian: stvàralački — having the power of generating
  • Spanish: generativo — having the power of generating