derived

American  

[dih-rahyvd] / dɪˈraɪvd /

adjective

1. received, obtained, or arising from a particular source or in a particular way.

   The relationship between the root word and the derived form is often metaphorical.

   With ingredients that are 100% naturally derived, we can proudly say our lotion is vegan, cruelty-free, and ecofriendly.

2. dependent on or generated by something more basic; secondary.

   The demand for a piece of capital equipment is a derived demand, as it stems directly from the demand for whatever it helps to produce.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of derive.

Other Word Forms

• self-derived
  adjective
• well-derived
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of derived

derive ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

When something is derived from something else, it is made from that. Ham is derived from pork, and the active ingredient in aspirin is derived from the bark of the willow tree. It's best to use derived when you can still see the parts of the original in something. Some people believe baseball was derived from the game of cricket. Both games involve batting and runners, but cricket was around first. Derived is also the past tense of the verb, derive, which can mean to figure out or get. After six tries, Lucia derived the answer to the difficult math problem.

Example Sentences

“Digital replicas are derived from human beings who have compensation and other protections available to them,” Astin said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

How much of those refined products can be derived from a barrel of oil depends on the type of crude oil being processed, as the chart below shows.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

HawkEye 360 derived 61% of its 2025 revenue from the U.S. government, with the National Reconnaissance Office as its biggest client.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

The name "muraria," derived from the Latin word for "wall," highlights its tendency to inhabit building walls and subtly references the band's famous album The Wall.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2026

“Heuristic” is a more specialized, single-purpose word, derived from Indo-European wer, meaning to find, then taken up in Greek as heuriskein, from which Archimedes was provided with Heureka!

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas