ENGLISH
REFERENCE

productive

adj.
US //pɝˈdəktɪv// UK //pɹədˈʌktɪv// pro·duc·tive
  1. 1 doing a lot of work (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    doing or achieving a lot of work in a short time.

    achieving or producing a significant amount or yield; characterized by high efficiency and output.

    Example

    I had a very productive morning and finished all my emails before lunch.

    Example

    The research team enjoyed a highly productive decade, publishing over fifty papers in peer-reviewed journals and securing several major patents.
  2. 2 useful or constructive (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    leading to a good or useful result.

    yielding positive, useful, or constructive results in a professional or social context.

    Example

    We had a productive meeting and finally agreed on a new plan.

    Example

    Despite their initial disagreements, the two diplomats engaged in a productive dialogue that eventually led to a formal ceasefire.
Show 2 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 linguistic patterns (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Academic Technical Linguistics

    used to describe a rule or ending that can be used to make many new words.

    referring to a linguistic rule or morpheme that is currently used by speakers to form new words or grammatical structures.

    Example

    The suffix '-ness' is very productive because you can add it to many adjectives to make nouns.

    Example

    While some plural endings in English are fossilized, the '-s' suffix remains highly productive, being applied automatically to almost any new noun entering the language.
  2. 4 medical/coughing (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Medicine

    a type of cough that produces mucus or phlegm.

    characterized by the production of mucus or sputum from the respiratory tract.

    Example

    The doctor asked if his cough was dry or productive.

    Example

    The patient presented with a productive cough and chest pain, suggesting a possible lower respiratory tract infection rather than a simple viral cold.
Origin

Borrowed from Late Latin productivus, equivalent to product + -ive.

© 2026 English Reference