generate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb bring into existence
    bring forth.
    • The new manager generated a lot of problems
    • The computer bug generated chaos in the office
    • The computer generated this image
    • The earthquake generated a tsunami
  2. verb give or supply
    return; yield; render; give.
    • The cow brings in 5 liters of milk
    • This year's crop yielded 1,000 bushels of corn
    • The estate renders some revenue for the family
  3. verb produce (energy)
    • We can't generate enough power for the entire city
    • The hydroelectric plant needs to generate more electricity
  4. verb make children
    engender; sire; get; father; mother; bring forth; beget.
    • Abraham begot Isaac
    • Men often father children but don't recognize them

WordNet

Gen"er*ate transitive verb
Etymology
L. generatus, p. p. of generare to generate, fr. genus. See Genus, Gender.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Generated ; present participle & verbal noun Generating
Definitions
  1. To beget; to procreate; to propagate; to produce (a being similar to the parent); to engender; as, every animal generates its own species.
  2. To cause to be; to bring into life. Milton.
  3. To originate, especially by a vital or chemical process; to produce; to cause.
    Whatever generates a quantity of good chyle must likewise generate milk. Arbuthnot.
  4. (Math.) To trace out, as a line, figure, or solid, by the motion of a point or a magnitude of inferior order.

Webster 1913