derivative

/dəˈrɪvətɪv/
noun
  1. Something that comes from or is based on another source, often with changes.
    • The movie is a derivative of a popular novel.
    • This new sauce is a derivative of the original recipe, with added spices.
    • Many English words are derivatives of Latin or Greek roots.
  2. A financial product whose value depends on the value of another asset, such as a stock or commodity.
    • A derivative can be risky because its value is tied to something else.
    • Investors use derivatives to hedge against price changes in the stock market.
    • The bank offers trading in derivatives like futures and options.
  3. In mathematics, a measure of how a function changes as its input changes; the slope of a curve at a point.
    • To find the slope of the curve at x=2, you calculate the derivative.
    • The derivative of x squared is 2x.
    • In calculus, the derivative of a function tells you its rate of change.
Synonyms
adjective
  1. Imitative or based on something else, often lacking originality.
    • The band's new album sounds derivative of 80s pop music.
    • Her speech felt derivative, repeating ideas from the textbook.
    • The artist's style was criticized as derivative, copying famous painters.
Antonyms
What does "derivative" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean