generator
- 01 B1 Intermediate
a machine that turns fuel or movement into electricity.
a machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.
Simple“When the storm knocked out the power, the hospital used a backup generator.”
In context“The construction site relied on a portable diesel generator to power the heavy machinery before the main electrical grid was connected.”
UsageOften used with modifiers like 'backup', 'portable', or 'emergency'.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a computer program or tool that creates data, text, or images.
a routine or program that produces a sequence of results or specific data structures.
Simple“I used an online password generator to create a secure login.”
In context“The developer implemented a procedural terrain generator to create unique landscapes for every new game session.”
UsageCommonly appears in compound nouns like 'random-number generator' or 'static-site generator'.
- 03 C1 Advanced
a person, thing, or event that causes something to happen or exist.
an agent, person, or entity that originates or produces a particular state or substance.
Simple“The new factory will be a major generator of jobs for the local community.”
In context“Tourism has become the primary generator of foreign exchange for the small island nation over the last decade.”
Teacher's tipIn formal writing, this is often used to describe abstract things like 'revenue', 'interest', or 'employment'.
- 04 C2 Proficiency
a point, line, or shape that is used to create a larger geometric figure.
an element of a group or a geometric figure that can be used to define or create the entire structure.
Simple“The teacher explained how a circle can act as a generator for a cylinder.”
In context“In group theory, a generator is an element that, when combined with itself repeatedly, produces every other element in the set.”
From Latin, from past participle of genero (“beget, father”), equivalent to generate + -or.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.