adjective

productive

pruh-DUK-tiv/prəˈdʌktɪv/

Able to generate results or output.

Her productive garden fills many baskets with fresh vegetables.

A white woman gardener surveys many baskets of vegetables harvested from a flourishing garden.

Etymology

proLatinforth

+ductLatinbring, lead

+iveLatinserving or tending to

“Bringing forth” became producing things or results. Productive first meant serving to produce, then extended to being fertile or producing abundantly—the connection behind its emphasis on useful or plentiful output.

In context

Mel Robbins8:48

How many model T's are we producing by, you know, per day. And when we switched the way we built Model T's, the number went up. That's more productive.

How to Get Things Done, Stay Focused, and Be More Productive

More examples

We have a productive meeting and agree on a plan.
I am most productive in the morning, before anyone calls.
The factory becomes more productive after replacing its old equipment.

Forms

productive · more productive · most productive

productivity noun — The rate of producing useful output.

productively adverb — In a way that produces useful results.

Similar words

fruitful: Emphasizes worthwhile results rather than the amount produced.
effective: Emphasizes achieving an intended goal rather than generating output.
prolific: Emphasizes producing large quantities, especially of creative work.