Webster's English Dictionary

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derivation

der.i.va.tion \.der-*-'va--sh*n\ \-shn*l, -sh*n-*l\ n 1a1: the formation of 
   a word from an earlier word or base (as by the additi on of an affix) 1a2: 
   an act of ascertaining or stating the derivation of a word  1a3: ETYMOLOGY  
   1b: the relation of a word to its base  2a: SOURCE, ORIGIN  2b: 
   ORIGINATION, DESCENT  3: something derived : DERIVATIVE  4: an act or 
   process of deriving  5: a sequence of statements showing that a result is a 
   necessary consequenc e of previously accepted statements - der.i.va.tion.al 
   aj