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derivative

[ dih-riv-uh-tiv ]
/ dɪˈrɪv ə tɪv /
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See synonyms for: derivative / derivatives on Thesaurus.com

adjective
not original; secondary.
noun
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Sometimes der·i·vate [der-uh-veyt] /ˈdɛr əˌveɪt/ .

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

OTHER WORDS FROM derivative

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use derivative in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for derivative

derivative
/ (dɪˈrɪvətɪv) /

adjective
noun

Derived forms of derivative

derivatively, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for derivative

derivative
[ dĭ-rĭvə-tĭv ]

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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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