derivation.

1. The obtaining of something from a source, origin or process.

2. The formation of a lexical word from another form through a word-forming process.

3. The development of a result through stated reasoning or formal steps.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• derivation from a source
• historical derivation

On the page

The proposed derivation from a source was tested against the surviving records.

Historical derivation required more than a resemblance between the forms.

Usage notes

Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: Singular derivation; plural derivations. Also uncountable. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: language analysis, sense distinction, word formation analysis, precise reference. Disciplines: academic writing, linguistics, dictionary and usage analysis. Commonness: moderately common.