generative

From Middle English generatyve, generatyf, generatif. Compare French génératif.

• IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒɛnəɹətɪv/, /ˈd͡ʒɛnɹətɪv/, /d͡ʒəˈnɛɹətɪv/

• Audio (Southern England)

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generative (comparative more generative, superlative most generative)

1. Having the power of generating, propagating, originating, or producing.
   • 1692, Richard Bentley, [A Confutation of Atheism] (please specify the sermon), London: [Thomas Parkhurst; Henry Mortlock], published 1692–1693:

     That generative particle.

   • 1988, Andrew Radford, Transformational grammar: a first course, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, page 127:

     Of course, structures like those associated with (36) and (37) constitute only a tiny subset of the infinite set of well-formed sentence structures found in English. We can increase the Generative Capacity of our grammar ( = the set of structures which it generates) either by expanding the Lexicon on the one hand, or by expanding the Categorial Rules (i.e. Phrase Structure Rules) on the other.

   Synonym: creative

   Antonym: annihilative

2. (euphemistic) reproductive
   • 2001, David L. Lieber; Jules Harlow, Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary, page 91:

     This ceremony seals the covenant in the flesh of the male generative organ.

• degenerative

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generative

1. inflection of generativ:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

• IPA^(key): /d͡ʒe.ne.raˈti.ve/
• Rhymes: -ive
• Hyphenation: ge‧ne‧ra‧tì‧ve

generative

1. feminine plural of generativo

• generatevi