productive

[pruh-duhk-tiv] /prəˈdʌk tɪv/

adjective

having the power of producing; generative; creative:

a productive effort.

producing readily or abundantly; fertile:

a productive vineyard.

causing; bringing about (usually followed by of):

conditions productive of crime and sin.

Economics, producing or tending to produce goods and services having exchange value.

Grammar. (of derivational affixes or patterns) readily used in forming new words, as the suffix -ness.

(in language learning) of or pertaining to the language skills of speaking and writing (opposed to receptive).

Origin

1605-15; < Medieval Latin productīvus. See product, -ive

Related forms

productively, adverb

productiveness, noun

productivity

[proh-duhk-tiv-i-tee] /ˌproʊ dʌkˈtɪv ɪ ti/ (Show IPA), noun

antiproductive, adjective

antiproductively, adverb

antiproductiveness, noun

quasi-productive, adjective

quasi-productively, adverb

semiproductive, adjective

semiproductively, adverb

semiproductiveness, noun

unproductive, adjective

unproductively, adverb

unproductiveness, noun

Synonyms

2. fecund. Productive, fertile, fruitful, prolific apply to the generative aspect of something. Productive refers to a generative source of continuing activity: productive soil; a productive influence. Fertile applies to that in which seeds, literal or figurative, take root: fertile soil; a fertile imagination. Fruitful refers to that which has already produced and is capable of further production: fruitful soil, discovery, theory. Prolific means highly productive: a prolific farm, writer.

Antonyms

2. sterile.

Examples from the web for productive

Compared with grains, tubers are inherently more productive.
The gradual mechanization of the mines eliminated many jobs, and some of the area's productive coal seams have been exhausted.
Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began.
His estates are admirably managed, and are far more productive of corn than those of others.
It made the culture more productive-for a time, anyway.
And that resourceful, productive people overcome obstacles without blaming others.
They also play a critical role in channelling savings into productive investments.
In many cases, my correspondents have requested anonymity because they have gone on to become productive members of society.
Public participation and transparency are essential to operating dangerous but productive technology.
They have as little to do with productive activity as high-stakes blackjack.

British Dictionary definitions for productive

productive

/prəˈdʌktɪv/

adjective

producing or having the power to produce; fertile

yielding favourable or effective results

(economics)

producing or capable of producing goods and services that have monetary or exchange value: productive assets
of or relating to such production: the productive processes of an industry

(postpositive) foll by of. resulting in: productive of good results

denoting an affix or combining form used to produce new words

Derived Forms

productively, adverb
productiveness, noun

Word Origin and History for productive

adj.

1610s, from French productif (16c.) and directly from Medieval Latin productivus "fit for production," from Latin product-, past participle stem of producere (see produce (v.)). Related: Productively; productiveness.

productive in Medicine

productive pro·duc·tive (prə-dŭk'tĭv, prō-)
adj.

Producing or capable of producing mucus or sputum.
Forming new tissue, as of an inflammation.