English
derivative
Derivative comes from Latin dērīvātus ‘drawn off, diverted, derived’, from rīvus ‘a small stream (of water)’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reyH- ‘to move, set in motion’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃reyH-‘to move, set in motion’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃riHwósreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*rīwosreconstructed
- Archaic Latinc. 700–75 BCErīvos
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CErīvus‘a small stream (of water)’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErīvō‘to lead or draw off’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdērīvō‘to derive’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdērīvātus‘drawn off, diverted, derived’perfect passive participle of dērīvō
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600dérivatif
- Englishearliest quotation 1979derivative
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃reyH-‘to move, set in motion’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃riHwósreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*rīwosreconstructed
- Archaic Latinc. 700–75 BCErīvos
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CErīvus‘a small stream (of water)’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErīvō‘to lead or draw off’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdērīvō‘to derive’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdērīvātus‘drawn off, diverted, derived’perfect passive participle of dērīvō
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600dérivatif
- Englishearliest quotation 1979derivative
Earliest quotation: 1979, Woody Allen, Manhattan: “No, I really felt it was very derivative. To…”
Equivalent to derive + -ative
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃reyH- ‘to move, set in motion’
ride, riding, raid, rin, irritable, irritate, ritter, ern, overridden, 13 more
through Latin rīvus ‘a small stream (of water)’
Today it means
adj Obtained by derivation; not radical, original, or fundamental.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₃reyH- / derivative