# derived

/dɝˈaɪvd/ (US) · /dɪɹˈaɪvd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/derived
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. obtained from a source

verb · CEFR B2

to have come from or been taken from a specific source.

For teachers: the past participle of 'derive', indicating that something was obtained, extracted, or traced back to a specific origin.

- The new medicine was derived from a rare plant found in the rainforest.
- The legal principles applied in this case were derived from centuries of common law tradition rather than recent legislative changes.

Usage: Often used in the passive voice with the preposition 'from'.

### 2. not original

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic

something that is based on or created from something else, rather than being completely new.

For teachers: describing something that is secondary or developed from a primary source; in linguistics, refers to a word formed from another.

- The word 'happiness' is a derived word because it comes from 'happy'.
- Critics argued that the composer's later symphonies were overly derived, lacking the raw innovation of his early avant-garde period.

### 3. evolutionary change

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

having traits that are different from an ancestor species.

For teachers: pertaining to traits or conditions unique to a descendant species that were not present in its ancestral lineage.

- Walking on two legs is a derived trait that separates humans from other apes.
- The presence of feathers is a derived characteristic that distinguishes the avian lineage from its reptilian ancestors.

## Examples

- Many modern medicines are derived from plants.
- The English word 'paper' is derived from the Greek word for the papyrus plant.
- The legal team argued that the evidence was inadmissible because it was derived from an illegal search, violating the defendant's constitutional rights.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.