derived
Americanadjective
-
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.
-
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.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of derived
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.
Vocabulary lists containing derived
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act II
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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.
Advertisers are increasingly using jargon derived from “looksmaxxing” in their marketing to appeal to young consumers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Volatility Shares stressed that the new ETFs would not be investing in prediction markets and that index valuations would be based solely on statistical factors derived from gameplay.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
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
The legislation expanded the medical and scientific use of cannabinoids derived from plants or produced synthetically.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026
Modern pigs are derived from independent sequences of domestication in China, western Eurasia, and possibly other areas as well.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
