Synonyms of derivative

derivative 1 of 2

adjective

as in secondary

taken or created from something original or basic

a derivative style taken from earlier painters

Synonyms & Similar Words

• secondary
• secondhand
• unoriginal
• resultant
• consequent

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• original
• basic
• fundamental
• first
• nonderivative
• primary

derivative

2 of 2

noun

di-ˈri-və-tiv 

as in derivation

something that naturally develops or is developed from something else

the whole field of industrial robots is a derivative of technology developed for the space program

Synonyms & Similar Words

• derivation
• derivate
• product
• descendant
• result
• by-product
• offshoot
• outgrowth
• reproduction
• spin-off
• consequence
• outcome
• sequel
• copy
• development
• sequence
• growth
• corollary
• aftermath
• fruit
• upshot
• denouement
• issue
• side effect
• duplicate
• repercussion
• facsimile
• replica
• aftereffect

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• source
• origin
• root
• prototype
• cause
• original
• reason
• archetype
• occasion
• determinant
• antecedent

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of derivative

Adjective

The company reincorporated from Delaware to Texas in 2024, and its charter pushes shareholder claims into mandatory arbitration and limits derivative suits to investors holding at least 3% of the stock—a stake worth tens of billions of dollars. — Heather Occhino, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026

The policies control the robot’s joint movements through lower-level proportional-derivative controllers. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026

Noun

The companies are regulated on the federal level by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or CFTC, which has historically focused on overseeing soybean futures and oil derivatives. — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026

What is really putting a lot of pressure on the markets right now are derivatives and refined products. — Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026