derive
Americanverb (used with object)
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to receive or obtain from a source or origin (usually followed byfrom ).
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to trace from a source or origin.
English words derived from German.
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Chemistry. to produce or obtain (a substance) from another.
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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.”
verb (used without object)
verb
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(usually foll by from) to draw or be drawn (from) in source or origin; trace or be traced
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(tr) to obtain by reasoning; deduce; infer
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(tr) to trace the source or development of
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(usually foll by from) to produce or be produced (from) by a chemical reaction
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maths to obtain (a function) by differentiation
Other Word Forms
- derivable adjective
- deriver noun
- nonderivable adjective
- prederive verb (used with object)
- underivable adjective
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
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Kelly noted that Western Digital now derives nearly 90% of its revenue from cloud customers, thanks to AI demand.
From MarketWatch
As of February, Allbirds was still pushing ahead with its initial sustainability pitch, announcing the launch of a shoe collection made with a leather alternative derived from plant proteins and recycled tires.
From MarketWatch
It was an off-speed pitch first derived from the forkball that hadn’t been popular since the age of the Walkman—and its reputation for shredding elbows had given it a stigma.
The Australian government says supply is not an issue - rather, sharp rises in the price of oil on the international market has had a knock-on effect on the price of fuels derived from it.
From BBC
The computational model of a neural network mimicked the owl’s auditory map—the flow of auditory information—which helped Rumelhart derive a theory about how the owl’s system developed and worked.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.