productive Definition
pro·duc·tive (prə duk′tiv, prō-)
adjective
- producing abundantly; fertile productive soil, a productive mind
- marked by abundant production or effective results a productive day
- bringing as a result (with of) war is productive of much misery
- Econ. of or engaged in the creating of economic value, or the producing of goods and services
- Linguis. designating any affix or method which can be and still is used to make new forms “non-” is a productive prefix
Etymology: ML productivus < LL, fit for prolongation < L productus, pp. of producere: see produce
productive Related Forms
pro·duc′·tively adverb
pro·duc·tiv·ity (prō′dək tiv′ə tē, präd′ək-) noun or pro·duc′·tive·ness
productive Synonyms
productive Usage Examples
Adjective complement with noun phrase
make: Training Research proves that good quality training helps retain and motivate staff as well as making businesses more productive.
Modifies a noun
- force: The growth of productive forces created the material premise for a new culture.
- capacity: There is not a shortage of productive capacity of real wealth in the world.
- farmland: More productive farmland means less need to convert wilderness.
- workforce: Excessive hours working is no recipe for a healthy, productive workforce.
- cough: Smoking is especially dangerous if you have a persistent, productive cough.
- relationship: We hope the result of these talks is the first step in a new and productive relationship with the unions.
Modifying Another Word
- biologically: The Seas Around Scotland Scotland's seas, positioned between subpolar and subtropical influences, are among the most biologically productive in the world.
- agriculturally: The Kano region is the most agriculturally productive part of the country, with increased yields of sorghum, millet, cowpeas and groundnuts.
- highly: In such a situation, highly productive staff would tend to have their salaries bid up.
- enormously: At its best this is an enormously productive relationship, with life-long loyalties in both directions.
- incredibly: This was altogether an incredibly productive week despite the hangovers and temperatures over 90 degrees.
- remarkably: And some of these lochs can be remarkably productive.
Used with adjective complement
- counter: The cost to SMEs combined with the impending increases to the National Minimum Wage could be counter productive.
- prove: These proved quite productive with a good selection of waders.
- become: Will it try to become more productive, or diversify into something else, or simply go out of business?
- remain: The tree can remain productive for 100 years or so.
- stay: Stay productive by taking critical information on the go!
Preposition: in
term: These latter are extremely productive in value terms relative to the rest of the economy.
Preposition: than
farm: Small farms are far more productive than large farms.
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