generate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to bring into existence; cause to be; produce.
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to create by a vital or natural process.
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to create and distribute vitally and profusely.
He generates ideas that we all should consider.
A good diplomat generates good will.
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to reproduce; procreate.
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to produce by a chemical process.
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Mathematics.
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to trace (a figure) by the motion of a point, straight line, or curve.
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to act as base for all the elements of a given set.
The number 2 generates the set 2, 4, 8, 16.
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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
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to produce or bring into being; create
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(also intr) to produce (electricity), esp in a power station
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to produce (a substance) by a chemical process
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maths linguistics to provide a precise criterion or specification for membership in (a set)
these rules will generate all the noun phrases in English
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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
- 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
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.
These patterns suggest that older sellers may be hurt by agents who want to maximize fees by generating a high volume of sales rather than maximizing sale prices, the study said.
From MarketWatch
Enzymes in the gut can generate sorbitol, which is then transported to the liver and converted into fructose.
From Science Daily
The sports category’s dominance continued for the next few months, as sports-related prediction markets generated an average of roughly $525 million in monthly volume over the next five months.
From MarketWatch
Salesforce has faced skepticism this year regarding its ability to generate revenues from its Agentforce platform, which allows customers to build and deploy AI agents.
From MarketWatch
It was entertainment, engineered to generate attention and revenue.
From BBC
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.