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tr.v. gen·er·at·ed, gen·er·at·ing, gen·er·ates 1. a. To bring into being; give rise to: generate a discussion. b. To produce as a result of a chemical or physical process: generate heat. 2. To engender (offspring); procreate. 3. Mathematics To form (a geometric figure) by describing a curve or surface. 4. Computers To produce (a program) by instructing a computer to follow given parameters with a skeleton program. 5. Linguistics In generative grammar, to construct (a sentence, for example) through the successive application of linguistic operations, rules, and conditions. [Latin generāre, generāt-, to produce, from genus, gener-, birth; see genə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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