derive

American  

[dih-rahyv] / dɪˈraɪv /

verb (used with object)

derives, present (3rd person singular) derived, past participle, past deriving present participle

1. to receive or obtain from a source or origin (usually followed byfrom ).

   Synonyms:

   net, reap, gather, glean, attain, gain

2. to trace from a source or origin.

   English words derived from German.

3. to reach or obtain by reasoning; deduce; infer.

4. Chemistry. to produce or obtain (a substance) from another.

5. Grammar. to create (a new linguistic form) by adding affixes to or changing the shape of a root or base.

   The word “runner” is derived from “run.”

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verb (used without object)

derives, present (3rd person singular) derived, past participle, past deriving present participle

1. to come from a source or origin; originate (often followed byfrom ).

derive British  

/ dɪˈraɪv /

verb

1. (usually foll by from) to draw or be drawn (from) in source or origin; trace or be traced

2. (tr) to obtain by reasoning; deduce; infer

3. (tr) to trace the source or development of

4. (usually foll by from) to produce or be produced (from) by a chemical reaction

5. maths to obtain (a function) by differentiation

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• deriver
  noun
• prederive
  verb (used with object)
• derivable
  adjective
• nonderivable
  adjective
• underivable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• deriving
  present
• derived
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• derive
  simple
• derives
  simple
• have derived
  perfect
• has derived
  perfect
• am deriving
  progressive
• are deriving
  progressive
• is deriving
  progressive
• have been deriving
  perfect progressive
• has been deriving
  perfect progressive

Past

• derived
  simple
• had derived
  perfect
• was deriving
  progressive
• were deriving
  progressive
• had been deriving
  perfect progressive

Future

• will derive
  simple
• will have derived
  perfect
• will be deriving
  progressive
• will have been deriving
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of derive

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English diriven, deriven “to flow, draw from, spring,” from Anglo-French, Old French deriver, from Latin dērīvāre “to lead off,” equivalent to dē- de- + rīv(us) “a stream” + -āre infinitive suffix

Explanation

If you want to talk about something that comes from something else, but you want to sound sophisticated and maybe financial or scientific, use derive, like so: That scent? It's derived from a solution of roses boiled with toothpicks. The word derive derives from (see how we did that?) the Latin rivus or stream, as in water. That image of the stream may help you remember the meaning of derive; you may picture tracing tiny streams back to their main source. Derive is a verb, as you can see, but it's often in the news in the noun form derivative: something that is derived from something else, as in "juice is a derivative of an orange."

Example Sentences

Governments derive their “just powers” from the “consent of the governed”—all the governed, not only the rich or powerful or educated.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026

Whatever the precise reasons for the breaks, and whether they are needed physically or not, Jagielka feels coaches can derive huge benefits from them, especially if a team is underperforming.

From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026

Mohajer told MarketWatch that it’s not easy to buy and integrate companies, but that SoundHound has been able to derive value from its acquisitions, serving both shareholders and the acquirees themselves.

From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026

As more people start using prediction markets, Wall Street is finding ways to derive value from them.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

Hooke, though, told the other two that he could derive all the laws of planetary motion starting out from the assumption of an inverse square law.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin

Related Words

• acquire
• assume
• collect
• determine
• develop
• evolve
• extract
• glean
• infer
• obtain
• receive