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

Even Cyrus’ freakishly long nails and eerie voice are derivative of other horror movie boogeymen, but without their grasp of the uncannily malevolent.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

Defined-outcome funds use options contracts, a kind of financial derivative, to limit investors’ potential losses over a given period, with the protection typically coming at the cost of a cap on gains.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026

By early this year, 70% of all new fine-tuned models—the derivative works researchers and developers build on top of base models—were built on Chinese foundations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

To protect the mRNA from breaking down before it reached its target, the researchers added a positively charged cholesterol derivative that helped keep the genetic material securely enclosed inside the nanoparticles.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

And acceleration is nothing more than the derivative of velocity, x.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

“The market has become notably more fragile,” strategists at UBS, led by Maxwell Grinacoff, head of U.S. equity derivatives research, wrote in a recent note.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

The report, by derivatives analysts led by Bram Kaplan, called that “curious” in light of the escalating U.S. trade dispute.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

The construct of volatility derivatives remains very bullish for stocks as well.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026

Another factor fueling the switch from crypto to AI: Popular trading platforms for crypto traders, such as Hyperliquid, embraced AI derivatives.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

With 2,300 journalists around the world, in 197 bureaus, serving a market including investment bankers, derivatives traders, stockbrokers, newspapers, radio, television, and Internet outlets, Reuters has always had a very complex audience to satisfy.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman

Related Words

• by-product