Generativity
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 The ability to create or reproduce. countable, uncountable
"Generativity is a broad property of systems that denotes the capacity of agents within them to connect to others and produce unanticipated outcomes and change."
- 2 The ability to transcend personal interests to provide care and concern for younger and older generations. countable, uncountable
"Most broadly, Erikson (1975) considers generativity to mean any caring activity that contributes to the spirit of future generations, such as the generation of new or more mature persons, products, ideas, or works of art."
Example
More examples"Generativity is a broad property of systems that denotes the capacity of agents within them to connect to others and produce unanticipated outcomes and change."
Etymology
From generative + -ity. In the psychology sense coined by psychoanalyst Erik Erikson in 1950.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.