productive

[ pruh-duhk-tiv ]

adjective

1. having the power of producing; generative; creative:

   a productive effort.

2. producing readily or abundantly; fertile:

   a productive vineyard.

   Synonyms: fecund

   Antonyms: sterile

3. causing; bringing about (usually followed by of ):

   conditions productive of crime and sin.

4. Economics. producing or tending to produce goods and services having exchange value.
5. Grammar. (of derivational affixes or patterns) readily used in forming new words, as the suffix -ness.
6. (in language learning) of or relating to the language skills of speaking and writing ( receptive ).

productive

/ prəˈdʌktɪv /

adjective

1. producing or having the power to produce; fertile
2. yielding favourable or effective results
3. economics
   1. producing or capable of producing goods and services that have monetary or exchange value

      productive assets

   2. of or relating to such production

      the productive processes of an industry

4. postpositivefoll byof resulting in

   productive of good results

5. denoting an affix or combining form used to produce new words

Derived Forms

• proˈductively, adverb
• proˈductiveness, noun

Other Words From

• pro·ductive·ly adverb
• pro·ductive·ness noun
• pro·duc·tiv·i·ty [proh-duhk-, tiv, -i-tee], noun
• anti·pro·ductive adjective
• anti·pro·ductive·ly adverb
• semi·pro·ductive adjective
• semi·pro·ductive·ly adverb
• unpro·ductive adjective
• unpro·ductive·ly adverb
• unpro·ductive·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of productive¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from the Medieval Latin word productīvus; product, -ive

Synonym Study

Productive, fertile, fruitful, prolific apply to the generative aspect of something. Productive refers to a generative source of continuing activity: productive soil; a productive influence. Fertile applies to that in which seeds, literal or figurative, take root: fertile soil; a fertile imagination. Fruitful refers to that which has already produced and is capable of further production: fruitful soil, discovery, theory. Prolific means highly productive: a prolific farm, writer.

Example Sentences

The three designated players, nicknamed “The Killer Ps,” combined for 39 goals and 39 assists during the regular season, making them the most productive trio in the league.

From Los Angeles Times

Coastal species like frogfish, which live in diverse and productive coral reef environments, exhibited much lower rates of evolutionary change than their counterparts in the deep sea.

From Science Daily

The measure is part of the Fair Labor Standards Act and based on the premise that disabled employers are less productive.

From Los Angeles Times

Indeed, some of Kotcher’s studies have found that threat information can help increase public engagement with climate change in productive ways.

From Salon

The first was to Bowers, already one of the most productive rookies in NFL history, with 1:40 left in the third quarter.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• advantageous
• beneficial
• constructive
• dynamic
• effective
• energetic
• fertile
• gratifying
• profitable
• prolific
• rewarding
• useful
• valuable
• vigorous
• worthwhile