adj. & n.
adj. derived from another source; not original (his music is derivative and uninteresting).
n. 1 something derived from another source, esp.: a a word derived from another or from a root (e.g. quickly from quick). b Chem. a chemical compound that is derived from another. 2 Math. a quantity measuring the rate of change of another. derivatively adv.
[ F dérivatif -ive f. L derivativus (as DERIVE) ]