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

See Examples For:

derive derives derived deriving

Warsh has spoken at length about not trying to guide traders so as to derive a better signal about the economy from financial markets.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026

The government is requiring all new data centers to derive at least 80% of their power from renewables.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

While the combined company’s network holdings, which include CNN, CBS, MTV and Nickelodeon, still derive about $35 billion in annual revenue, the sector remains under pressure from cord-cutting and ad declines.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 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

Governments, I said, derive their authority and legitimacy from the consent of the governed, and we had assembled to create such a legitimate authority.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

But Steven derives a measure of comfort from the fact that the couple’s two young children are far more attached to him than to the barely present Lucy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

"The Fifa World Cup is the pinnacle of global football and derives its strength from the participation of all Confederations and the world's leading football nations," it said.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

The film derives its title from the girl’s interest in “Little Irène,” a painting by influential French impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026

His homemade videos helped expand the Backrooms online mythology that derives its scares from the exploration of creepy empty spaces.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026

Cayley is a minor but not insignificant figure in the history of science and technology; but there is no doubt that our sense of his significance derives entirely from hindsight.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

His channel, Aeris Rimor -- roughly derived from the Latin for Searcher of the Skies -- is one of dozens sending real-time messages about incoming drones and missiles.

From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026

He runs his business by the “humanistic capitalism” he derived from ancient philosophers whose names he casually drops in conversation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

In some organoids derived from patients, the medication increased proteins involved in serotonin signaling and communication between brain cells.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 22, 2026

The BEA previously derived its legal data from an unpublished survey in the consumer-price index that had an unusually small sample size.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026

Dad derived considerable pleasure from reading these interviews aloud at the supper table, with exaggerated gestures and facial expressions that were supposed to be Mother’s.

From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

But the North Sea is not seen as deriving much profit for the group, even if more drilling is allowed.

From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026

A year ago, 13% of S&P 500 index constituents noted benefits deriving from AI adoption.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 27, 2026

Enterprises, which can include companies and other large organizations, have passed through several stages in the way they think about deriving value from AI.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2025

The methods developed by Vergara in the UPV/EHU labs enable a wide range of antimicrobial drugs to be simultaneously determined, as well as various products deriving from their transformation.

From Science Daily ● May 23, 2024

I asked, terrified at the unexpected sound, and incapable now of deriving from any occurrence a hope of aid.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

Related Words

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