1. Relating to or producing derivation. 2. Something produced by modification of something preexisting. 3. Specifically, a chemical compound that may be produced from another compound of similar structure in one or more steps, as in replacement of H by an alkyl, acyl, or amino group.
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de·riv·a·tive di-'riv-ət-iv adj
1) formed by derivation
2) made up of or marked by derived elements
derivative n
1) something that is obtained from, grows out of, or results from an earlier or more fundamental state or condition
2 a) a chemical substance related structurally to another substance and theoretically derivable from it
b) a substance that can be made from another substance
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de·riv·a·tive (də-rivґə-tiv) a chemical substance produced from another substance either directly or by modification or partial substitution.Medical dictionary. 2011.