Derivative

Glossary of Linguistic Terms

Definition:

A derivative is a stem that is formed by combining a root with an affix that adds a component of meaning that is more than just inflectional.

The meaning of a derivative is determined by its context, not its parts.

Introduction:

In the lexical database, a derivative is usually entered as a subentry. Only irregular, semantic derivatives are entered as separate major entries.

Discussion:

A derivative is a stem formed by derivation, a morphosyntactic operation.

Comparison:

Here are some kinds of derivatives:

Grammatical derivatives
Example:
- Nominalized stems, such as encouragement from encourage
- Adverbialized stems, such as courageously from courageous
Semantic derivatives

Example:
nominalized stems, such as generation from generate