n.
Pronunciation: ˌ der- ə - ' v ā -sh ə n, ˌ de-r ə -
Function: noun
Date: 15th century
1 a (1) : the formation of a word from another word or base (as by the addition of a usually noninflectional affix) (2) : an act of ascertaining or stating the derivation of a word (3) : ETYMOLOGY 1 b : the relation of a word to its base
2 a : SOURCE , ORIGIN b : DESCENT , ORIGINATION
3 : something derived : DERIVATIVE
4 : an act or process of deriving
5 : a sequence of statements (as in logic or mathematics) showing that a result is a necessary consequence of previously accepted statements
– der · i · va · tion · al \ -shn ə l, -sh ə -n ə l \ adjective