productive

American  

[pruh-duhk-tiv] / prəˈdʌk tɪv /

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 byof ).

   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 (opposed to receptive).

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productive British  

/ 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. resulting in

   productive of good results

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

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Related Words

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.

Other Word Forms

• antiproductive
  adjective
• antiproductively
  adverb
• productively
  adverb
• productiveness
  noun
• productivity
  noun
• semiproductive
  adjective
• semiproductively
  adverb
• unproductive
  adjective
• unproductively
  adverb
• unproductiveness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of productive

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

Explanation

If you're productive, that means you do a lot — you create or produce large amounts of something. A productive worker makes more widgets than the shirker who keeps sneaking out to gossip and drink coffee. The word productive often describes a person's capability to do a lot of work, but is can refer to anything that produces a lot. The land in your area might be the most productive in the state, meaning crops grow very well there. Productive can be used more broadly to describe something that produces a positive result. For example, you might have a productive conversation with your mom about your college plans, or you might make a productive investment.

Example Sentences

Not only is it impossible to truly “fix” or “change” anyone, it’s simply not an efficient or productive use of your precious energetic and material resources.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

Large pharma is an area where AI can help companies not only be more productive, but also help in the drug-approval process.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

But now, Leger’s focus is back where he started the year — on the AI race and the productive capacity of the U.S. economy.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

Coinbase is among tech companies that have been laying off workers and pointing to how AI is making workers more productive.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

It alone had not seriously expanded its productive facilities, or offered anything radically new to human culture.

From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov

Related Words

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