derivative
/dɪˈrɪv.ə.tɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈrɪv.ə.t̬ɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈri-və-tiv/ (ame, mw) · /dɪˈrɪvətɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈrɪvətɪv/ (ame, ipa)
derivative — adjective
- derivativepositive
- more derivativecomparative
- most derivativesuperlative
1. describing a creative work — such as a film, book, or song — that copies existin
describing a creative work — such as a film, book, or song — that copies existing styles or ideas too heavily and does not bring anything new to them
Critics called Camila's latest film derivative, noting its close resemblance to several popular action movies.
criticized as derivative — common in film/music reviews
The designer admitted the pattern was derivative of traditional Korean textile art.
derivative of + source noun phrase
Liang called the song derivative — it borrowed the melody from a well-known hit.
Roya's professor warned that a purely derivative research paper would not earn a high grade.
The exhibition featured mostly derivative works that offered little new thinking about the painter's legacy.
- imitative
emphasises copying a specific model or person, often with a negative tone
- uncreative
focuses on lack of new ideas rather than the act of copying
- formulaic
suggests following a predictable, standardised pattern
- original
fresh and innovative in concept or execution
- innovative
introduces new methods or ideas
用法筆記
Frequently used as a criticism in reviews of films, music, and art. Often followed by "of" to name the source that is copied (e.g., "derivative of the original").
常見錯誤
derivative — noun
- derivativesingular
- derivativesplural
1. an item created by taking an existing material or concept and building upon it t
an item created by taking an existing material or concept and building upon it through change or processing
Honey is a natural derivative of flower nectar, processed and stored by bees.
natural derivative of — describing origin
The new bottle is a petroleum derivative that can be recycled more easily.
petroleum derivative — common in science/industry context
Christopher's sauce is a lighter derivative of the traditional cream-based recipe his grandmother used.
Scientists developed a caffeine derivative that provides energy without the common side effects.
- offshoot
suggests something that naturally develops from a larger source, often used for ideas or organisations
- by-product
emphasises something produced incidentally during the making of something else
- descendant
used for things that come from an earlier form over time
用法筆記
Often followed by "of" to specify the source material. Common in scientific and technical writing for substances produced from raw materials.
2. in linguistics, a new word created from an existing one by attaching a prefix or
in linguistics, a new word created from an existing one by attaching a prefix or suffix that alters its meaning or grammatical class
In English, 'kindness' is a derivative of the adjective 'kind' with the suffix '-ness'.
suffix -ness forming a noun derivative
Sahil asked the teacher whether 'quickly' is a derivative of the adjective 'quick'.
The dictionary lists 'employee' as a derivative of the verb 'employ' with the suffix '-ee'.
Padma learned that 'unacceptable' is a derivative formed from 'accept' with two affixes.
- derived word
the same concept expressed in a more transparent phrase
- cognate
a word related to another by shared origin, not necessarily formed directly from it
用法筆記
In linguistics, common suffixes such as -ness, -ment, -tion, and -er are frequently used to form noun derivatives from verbs and adjectives.
常見錯誤
3. in finance, an investment whose value depends on the changing price of something
in finance, an investment whose value depends on the changing price of something else — for example, shares, bonds, or foreign money
Adaeze bought a currency derivative tied to the dollar-yen exchange rate.
currency derivative — a specific type of financial derivative
The bank offers a futures contract, a derivative that lets farmers lock in crop prices.
Paul lost money on an oil derivative when crude prices dropped unexpectedly last month.
Samir's financial advisor warned that trading derivatives carries higher risk than buying shares directly.
- futures contract
a specific type of derivative where parties agree to trade an asset at a future date at a fixed price
- option
a specific type of derivative giving the right to buy or sell an asset at a set price
- swap
a specific type of derivative where two parties exchange payment streams
用法筆記
Usually used in the plural (derivatives) when referring to this class of financial products in general. This is a technical term; learners at lower levels may encounter it only in business or economics contexts.
4. in calculus, a number that tells you how steeply a function's output is rising o
in calculus, a number that tells you how steeply a function's output is rising or falling at any given point — like measuring the slope of a curve at one precise spot
To find the slope at point P, Iker calculated the derivative of the function.
calculate the derivative of — common math phrase
Yusuf used the derivative of position data to get the car's speed at a traffic light.
used the derivative of + source data to calculate — practical application
Nellie used the derivative to determine the exact moment the rocket's velocity peaked.
Leila calculated the derivative of the rocket's altitude to find its upward velocity at launch.
- differential coefficient
a more formal name for the derivative; less common in modern textbooks
- rate of change
a descriptive phrase that explains what the derivative measures
- integral
the opposite operation of differentiation; measures area under a curve
用法筆記
In mathematics, derivatives are typically denoted as f'(x) or dy/dx. This term is not used in everyday conversation outside of mathematics, physics, and engineering contexts. Often contrasted with the integral (the opposite operation).