generation

noun gen·er·a·tion \ ˌje-nə-ˈrā-shən \

|Updated on: 16 Jul 2018

Examples: generation in a Sentence

Definition of generation

1 a : a body of living beings constituting a single step in the line of descent from an ancestor

b : a group of individuals born and living contemporaneously

the younger generation

c : a group of individuals having contemporaneously a status (such as that of students in a school) which each one holds only for a limited period

d : a type or class of objects usually developed from an earlier type

first of the … new generation of powerful supersonic fighters
—Kenneth Koyen

2 a : the action or process of producing offspring : procreation

b : the process of coming or bringing into being

generation of income

c : origination by a generating process : production; especially : formation of a geometric figure by motion of another

3 : the average span of time between the birth of parents and that of their offspring

—

generational

play \ˌje-nə-ˈrā-shnəl, -shə-nᵊl\ adjective

—

generationally

play \ˌje-nə-ˈrā-shnə-lē, shə-nᵊl-ē\ adverb

See generation defined for English-language learners

See generation defined for kids

Examples of generation in a Sentence

She was worshipped by a generation of moviegoers.
He was a hero to generations of students.
We need to preserve these resources for future generations.
His books are popular among members of the younger generation.
That family has lived in the same house for four generations.
The house has been passed down in the family from generation to generation.
He has held that position for a generation.
No one dreamed that such things would be possible a generation ago.
The company claims to be developing the next generation of portable computers.

Recent Examples of generation from the Web

After Monarch Hill stops taking trash, experts will keep track of the landfill’s gas generation and how the trash settles over 30 years.

— anne geggis, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Mount Trashmore, the landfill that's over 20 stories, will grow bigger and taller," 13 July 2018
Young buyers from the Millennial generation are stepping off the sidelines now, representing a significant chunk of the buyer market, said Ross Mackesey, manager of the Lake Roland office for Long and Foster.

— reema amin, baltimoresun.com, "Housing indicators reflect strong seller's market in Baltimore region," 13 July 2018
Preston Summerhays, of the Utah clan whose generations have played in the Junior World for decades, shot 70 and finished solo third at 2 under.

— tod leonard, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Aussie grinds out Junior World win; Taiwan girl cruises," 13 July 2018
SportsPulse: Fox Sports contributor Grant Wahl previews the World Cup final between France and Croatia, and why all the pressure is on Croatia's golden generation to pull off the historic upset.

— usa today sports, USA TODAY, "World Cup final predictions: Will France or Croatia lift the trophy?," 13 July 2018
Anil took the construction, telecommunications, asset management, entertainment and power generation businesses.

— Fortune, "8 Things to Know About Mukesh Ambani, Asia's Newest Richest Man," 13 July 2018
Data from the British Social Attitudes survey, for example, show successive generations taking less pride in the welfare state (see chart 1).

— The Economist, "The welfare state needs updating," 12 July 2018
That style of house is usable as well for families with three generations under one roof.

— tony bizjak, sacbee, "Remember the old state fairgrounds? It’s Sacramento’s newest urban housing hot spot," 12 July 2018
Seventeen of France’s 23 players are children of first generation migrants.

— ishaan tharoor, Washington Post, "The World Cup is a victory for the immigrant dream," 12 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'generation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of generation

Middle English generacioun "procreation, development, offspring, lineage," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French generacion, borrowed from Late Latin generātiōn-, generātiō, going back to Latin, "procreation," from generāre "to bring into being, generate" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

Other Genetics Terms

chimera, hermaphrodite, plasticity

GENERATION Defined for English Language Learners

generation

noun

Definition of generation for English Language Learners

: a group of people born and living during the same time
: the people in a family born and living during the same time
: the average length of time between the birth of parents and the birth of their children