generation

noun

gen·​er·​a·​tion ˌje-nə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce generation (audio)
1
a
: a body of living beings constituting a single step in the line of descent from an ancestor
b
: a group of individuals born and living contemporaneously
the younger generation
c
: a group of individuals having contemporaneously a status (such as that of students in a school) which each one holds only for a limited period
d
: a type or class of objects usually developed from an earlier type
first of the … new generation of powerful supersonic fightersKenneth Koyen
2
a
: the action or process of producing offspring : procreation
b
: the process of coming or bringing into being
generation of income
c
: origination by a generating process : production
especially : formation of a geometric figure by motion of another
3
: the average span of time between the birth of parents and that of their offspring
generational adjective
generationally adverb

Examples of generation in a Sentence

She was worshipped by a generation of moviegoers. He was a hero to generations of students. We need to preserve these resources for future generations. His books are popular among members of the younger generation. That family has lived in the same house for four generations. The house has been passed down in the family from generation to generation. He has held that position for a generation. No one dreamed that such things would be possible a generation ago. The company claims to be developing the next generation of portable computers.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Decades Menu – which brings back items from each era since Taco Bell’s founding in 1962 – is a nod to the past and a way to bridge generations, according to Tresvant. Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024 As with the previous keyboard generation, setting up Touch ID is still a cinch. PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024 Vampire bats, through generations of evolution, have flipped that script and somehow manage to sustain themselves primarily off of amino acids. Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2024 For his part, Thomas hopes the book can introduce a new generation to Carson’s work. Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for generation 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English generacioun "procreation, development, offspring, lineage," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French generacion, borrowed from Late Latin generātiōn-, generātiō, going back to Latin, "procreation," from generāre "to bring into being, generate" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of generation was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near generation

Cite this Entry

“Generation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/generation. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

generation

noun
gen·​er·​a·​tion ˌjen-ə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce generation (audio)
1
a
: those being a step in a line from one ancestor
a family that has lived in the same house for four generations
b
: a group of individuals born and living at the same time
c
: a type or class of objects developed from an earlier type
2
: the average length of time between the birth of parents and that of their offspring
3
: the action or process of generating
generational
-shnəl How to pronounce generation (audio)
-shən-ᵊl
adjective

Medical Definition

generation

noun
gen·​er·​a·​tion ˌjen-ə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce generation (audio)
1
a
: a body of living beings constituting a single step in the line of descent from an ancestor
b
: a group of individuals born and living contemporaneously
2
: the average span of time between the birth of parents and that of their offspring
3
: the action or process of producing offspring : procreation
generational adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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