creativity

[kree-ey-tiv-i-tee, kree-uh-]

noun

1. the state or quality of being creative.

2. the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination.

   the need for creativity in modern industry; creativity in the performing arts.

3. the process by which one utilizes creative ability.

   Extensive reading stimulated his creativity.

Other Word Forms

• anticreativity noun
• noncreativity noun
• uncreativity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of creativity¹

First recorded in 1870–75; creative + -ity

Example Sentences

Dr. Cohen also stresses the need to nurture creativity and risk-taking in science, cautioning against the tendency to fund only predictable or incremental research.

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Between those extremes lies a third category that demands creativity: projects where public need is obvious, but the business model isn’t.

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To compensate, he encourages in-person discussions; failing that, video beats text, even if video meetings are fatiguing and can blunt creativity.

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“Having that connection with a community of creatives in the city is essential. Having that sort of human interaction is really good for your soul, and for your creativity,” she shares.

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They then looked at how creativity was associated with the different types of mind wandering.

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