derivative

American  

[dih-riv-uh-tiv] / dɪˈrɪv ə tɪv /

Sometimes derivate

adjective

1. derived.

2. not original; secondary.

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noun

• derivatives
  plural

1. something that has been derived.

2. Also called derived form. Grammar. a form that has undergone derivation from another, as atomic from atom.

3. Chemistry. a substance or compound obtained from, or regarded as derived from, another substance or compound.

4. especially British, differential coefficient. Also called differential quotient. Mathematics. the limit of the ratio of the increment of a function to the increment of a variable in it, as the latter tends to 0; the instantaneous change of one quantity with respect to another, as velocity, which is the instantaneous change of distance with respect to time.

5. a financial contract whose value derives from the value of underlying stocks, bonds, currencies, commodities, etc.

derivative British  

/ dɪˈrɪvətɪv /

adjective

1. resulting from derivation; derived

2. based on or making use of other sources; not original or primary

3. copied from others, esp slavishly; plagiaristic

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noun

1. a term, idea, etc, that is based on or derived from another in the same class

2. a word derived from another word

3. chem a compound that is formed from, or can be regarded as formed from, a structurally related compound

   chloroform is a derivative of methane

4. maths

   1. Also called: differential coefficient, first derivative. the change of a function, f( x ), with respect to an infinitesimally small change in the independent variable, x ; the limit of [f( a + Δ x )–f( a )] / Δ x , at x = a , as the increment, Δ x , tends to 0. Symbols: df( x )/d x , f′( x ), Df( x )

      the derivative of xn is nxn–1

   2. the rate of change of one quantity with respect to another

      velocity is the derivative of distance with respect to time

5. finance a financial instrument, such as a futures contract or option, the price of which is largely determined by the commodity, currency, share price, interest rate, etc, to which it is linked

6. psychoanal an activity that represents the expression of hidden impulses and desires by channelling them into socially acceptable forms

derivative Scientific  

/ dĭ-rĭv′ə-tĭv /

1. In calculus, the slope of the tangent line to a curve at a particular point on the curve. Since a curve represents a function, its derivative can also be thought of as the rate of change of the corresponding function at the given point. Derivatives are computed using differentiation.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• derivativeness
  noun
• nonderivative
  adjective
• underivative
  adjective
• derivatively
  adverb
• nonderivatively
  adverb
• underivatively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• derivatives
  plural

Etymology

Origin of derivative

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English derivatif, from Late Latin dērīvātīvus, equivalent to Latin dērīvāt(us) ( see derivation) + -īvus suffix; see -ive

Explanation

Alert: shifting parts of speech! As a noun, a derivative is kind of financial agreement or deal. As an adjective, though, derivative describes something that borrows heavily from something else that came before it. In grammar and linguistics, a word that is formed from another word is called a derivative. For example, the word courageous is a derivative of the word courage. In economics, derivatives are deals based on the outcome of other deals. A movie plot might be described as derivative if it steals from another film — say, if it lifts the tornado, the witch, and the dancing scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

derivative derivatives

So-called perps are a type of derivative that let traders bet around the clock and use leverage to amplify their potential gains and losses.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

On Monday, traders in derivative markets had raised their odds of a October rate hike as high as 70%, before they cooled to 60% on Tuesday.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026

Still, he blends it all into his own vision so it doesn’t feel derivative.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

After reaching the liver, sorbitol can be converted into a derivative of fructose.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 6, 2026

Tell whether the following words are primitive or derivative, and also whether simple or compound:—

From New Word-Analysis by William Swinton

Porsche said customer demand for the 911 remains very strong, with deliveries up 12% on year, while demand for its more exclusive and high-performance derivatives is also strong.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Intercontinental Exchange, owner of the New York Stock Exchange, launched a new gold futures contract in London, seeking to establish a derivatives market in the world’s leading physical bullion hub.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

Meanwhile, the interest-rate derivatives market is pricing in even more hikes in this cycle, expecting a so-called terminal 4.85% fed-funds rate by September 2027, according to TD’s Goldberg.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

Anthropic is getting warrants — derivatives allowing but not requiring it to buy stock at a future date — as part of the deal.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026

Leech the doctor comes from the Indo-European leg, which meant to collect, with numerous derivatives meaning to speak.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Related Words

• by-product