derivative

C2+ Topic:Work & Careers
US /dɪˈrɪvətɪv/ UK /dɪˈrɪvətɪv/
adj noun

Meanings

  1. 1
    adj

    imitative of others' work; a thing based on another source

    Critics found the novel derivative and unoriginal.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 adj · imitative of others' work;... imitativeunoriginalsecondaryderivedcopiedplagiaristic
Word family
Forms derivativelyderivativeness
Derived forms derivativelyderivativeness

Etymology

From Late Latin derivativus, from Latin derivatus, past participle of derivare ('to lead or draw off'), from de- ('away') plus rivus ('stream, brook').

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