ENGLISH
REFERENCE

generation

n. C / U
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ˌdʒɛnɝˈeɪʃən// UK //dʒˌɛnəɹˈeɪʃən// gen·er·a·tion Academic Archaic Dialect General-service

n. a group of people born and living at about the same time. It can also mean the act of producing something, like electricity or new ideas.

n. a cohort of individuals born and living contemporaneously, typically spanning a period of about thirty years. Also refers to the production or creation of something through a natural or industrial process.


SIMPLE

My generation uses social media more than my parents' generation.

CONTEXTUAL

The documentary explores how the younger generation is adapting to the rapid changes in the television industry.

COMPLEX

The transition to renewable energy requires the efficient generation of power from wind and solar sources to replace aging coal-fired plants that have served the region for decades.

Synonyms
Origin

Inherited from Middle English generacioun, from Anglo-Norman generacioun, Middle French generacion, and their source, Latin generātiō, from generāre (“to beget, generate”). By surface analysis, generate + -ion.

Usage

Countable when referring to groups of people; uncountable when referring to the process of producing energy or heat.

© 2026 English Reference