generate

American  

[jen-uh-reyt] / ˈdʒɛn əˌreɪt /

verb (used with object)

generated, generating

1. to bring into existence; cause to be; produce.

   Synonyms:

   institute, engender, originate, evolve, create

2. to create by a vital or natural process.

3. to create and distribute vitally and profusely.

   He generates ideas that we all should consider.

   A good diplomat generates good will.

4. to reproduce; procreate.

5. to produce by a chemical process.

6. Mathematics.

   1. to trace (a figure) by the motion of a point, straight line, or curve.

   2. to act as base for all the elements of a given set.

      The number 2 generates the set 2, 4, 8, 16.

7. Linguistics. to produce or specify (a grammatical sentence or other construction or set of constructions) by the application of a rule or set of rules in a generative grammar.

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verb (used without object)

generated, generating

1. to reproduce; propagate.

generate British  

/ ˈdʒɛnəˌreɪt /

verb

1. to produce or bring into being; create

2. (also intr) to produce (electricity), esp in a power station

3. to produce (a substance) by a chemical process

4. maths linguistics to provide a precise criterion or specification for membership in (a set)

   these rules will generate all the noun phrases in English

5. geometry to trace or form by moving a point, line, or plane in a specific way

   circular motion of a line generates a cylinder

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Other Word Forms

• intergenerating adjective
• nongenerating adjective
• pregenerate verb (used with object)
• ungenerated adjective
• ungenerating adjective

Etymology

Origin of generate

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin generātus “begotten, produced,” past participle of generāre “to beget”; genus

Explanation

Generate means produce or create. A good stock pick might generate cash, and a good idea might generate the basis for an Oscar-winning film. Generate and the closely related word generation both come from the Latin word genus, which means "stock or race." Its root, in turn, is the Proto-Indo-European gen-, "to produce, give birth, or beget." Let's say you have two siblings. In that case, your parents' marriage has generated three children. In a hydroelectric power plant, water generates power. And you can get a paper route or babysit if you're looking to generate a little income.

Example Sentences

Not only did they generate it, they also isolated it, sealed it in a tube, and observed it staying intact for months.

From Science Daily • Apr. 11, 2026

Ajinomoto said it takes feedback and proposals from investors very seriously, and remains committed to using those insights to generate further sustainable growth in enterprise value.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

The company is expected to generate a 2026 operating profit of about $9 billion.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

Some call El Niños that pass this threshold of warming super El Niños — relatively rare occurrences that are more likely to generate wide-ranging effects.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

He heard the change in the sounds around them, too; the howl of the wind, the engines turning over steadily to generate power for the lights, voices from somewhere nearby giving orders.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman

Related Words

• achieve
• bring about
• cause
• develop
• engender
• make
• provoke
• set up
• spawn