# derivation vs derivative

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### derivation
*noun · IPA /ˌdɛ.ɹɪˈveɪ.ʃ(ə)n/ · frequency rank #27,428*
A leading or drawing off of water from a stream or source.

### derivative
*adjective · IPA /dɪˈɹɪvətɪv/ · frequency rank #12,034*
Obtained by derivation; not radical, original, or fundamental.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/derivation-vs-derivative