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

There have even been examples of people moving in and not realising they are buying a croft, which comes with a legal obligation to put the land to productive use.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

It fuels highly productive fisheries, helps shield coral reefs from heat stress, and keeps the water along Panama's Pacific beaches cooler during the busy "summer" vacation season.

From Science Daily • Apr. 26, 2026

Reanimating the world’s most productive oil patch will require overcoming substantial engineering and logistical challenges.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

“He has a relentless motor, a highly productive pass rusher, physical player versus the run,” said Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz, who added he was convinced Mesidor would not be available at No. 22.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026

Sown wheat yields a crop within a few months; a planted almond grows into a nut-bearing tree in three or four years; but a planted acorn may not become productive for a decade or more.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

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