productive

adjective

pro·​duc·​tive prə-ˈdək-tiv 

prō-

1

: having the quality or power of producing especially in abundance

productive fishing waters

2

: effective in bringing about

investigating committees have been productive of much good

—R. K. Carr

3

a

: yielding results, benefits, or profits

b

: yielding or devoted to the satisfaction of wants or the creation of utilities

4

: continuing to be used in the formation of new words or constructions

un- is a productive prefix

5

: raising mucus or sputum (as from the bronchi)

a productive cough

productively adverb

productiveness noun

Synonyms

• constructive
• formative

Examples of productive in a Sentence

I had a very productive day.

I am most productive in the morning.

Some staff members are more productive than others.

Recent Examples on the Web

Learning how to have productive conversations The week before Thanksgiving, Sandler's students role-played scenarios like how to have a productive discussion with someone who doesn't believe the truth and how to tell the difference between fact and opinion. —Cait Bladt, CBS News, 28 Nov. 2024

The team is in desperate need of productive guard play. —Rahat Huq, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2024

His rigidity and bravado would be destructive to the agriculture, construction, and industrial sectors which rely on hard-working, productive immigrants. —Chloe Berger, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2024

This productive period was interrupted when, in 2003, Killian had a heart attack. —Oscar Schwartz, The New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing productive

• hyper-productive

Kids Definition

productive

adjective

pro·​duc·​tive prə-ˈdək-tiv 

1

: having the power to produce plentifully

productive soil

productive fishing waters

2

: producing something

efforts productive of much good

3

: giving results

a productive meeting

productively adverb

productiveness noun

Medical Definition

productive

adjective

pro·​duc·​tive prə-ˈdək-tiv, prō- 

: raising mucus or sputum (as from the bronchi)

a productive cough