generate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to bring into existence; cause to be; produce.
-
to create by a vital or natural process.
-
to create and distribute vitally and profusely.
He generates ideas that we all should consider.
A good diplomat generates good will.
-
to reproduce; procreate.
-
to produce by a chemical process.
-
Mathematics.
-
to trace (a figure) by the motion of a point, straight line, or curve.
-
to act as base for all the elements of a given set.
The number 2 generates the set 2, 4, 8, 16.
-
-
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.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to produce or bring into being; create
-
(also intr) to produce (electricity), esp in a power station
-
to produce (a substance) by a chemical process
-
maths linguistics to provide a precise criterion or specification for membership in (a set)
these rules will generate all the noun phrases in English
-
geometry to trace or form by moving a point, line, or plane in a specific way
circular motion of a line generates a cylinder
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
pregenerateverb (used with object)
-
ungeneratedadjective
-
intergeneratingadjective
-
ungeneratingadjective
-
nongeneratingadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has generatedperfect 3rd person singular
-
have generatedperfect
-
has been generatingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
am generatingprogressive 1st person singular
-
generatingparticiple
-
generatessingular 3rd person
-
are generatingprogressive
-
have been generatingperfect progressive
-
is generatingprogressive 3rd person singular
Past
-
had generatedperfect
-
was generatingprogressive singular
-
generatedparticiple
-
were generatingprogressive plural
-
generatedsimple
-
had been generatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of generate
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin generātus “begotten, produced,” past participle of generāre “to beget”; see 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.
Vocabulary lists containing generate
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Watsons Go to Birmingham
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Words for Father's Day: What Fathers Do
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
E-motos usually generate much more than 750 watts of power, the maximum allowed for electric bicycles.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
The World Cup build-up will generate many superlatives about Messi.
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
Few public figures generate stronger reactions in New York, and his appearance — as it usually does — adds another layer of politics, spectacle and unpredictability to an event that already feels larger than sports.
From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026
Their new theoretical method can generate and control a wide range of entangled quantum states using tools that are already common in many quantum physics laboratories.
From Science Daily • Jun. 6, 2026
This process will generate the elements carbon and oxygen and provide additional energy for the Sun to continue shining for a limited time.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
