Derivative Of: Standard Pattern
Derivative Of: Standard Pattern records the directly documented construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced complement pattern rather than inventing a broader prohibition.
Use “a derivative of” when identifying the source form from which another form or product is developed.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| one form, product, or work is developed from another | a derivative of + source | Use “of” to identify what the derivative comes from. |
| the sentence describes the act of deriving rather than the resulting noun | derive from | Use the verb construction instead of forcing the noun pattern. |
| the source is not being identified | derivative | The noun or adjective may stand without an “of” complement when context supplies the relation. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Are you naming the source from which the resulting form or product was developed?
If yes: Use “a derivative of …”.
If no: Use “derive from” for the verb relationship, or omit the complement when the source is already clear.
Caveat: Choose by the documented meaning or construction; a different pattern may be valid in a different sentence structure or variety.
Examples
The exercise is a derivative of the original drill.
The “of” phrase identifies the source form.
This version derives from an earlier draft.
The verb uses “derive from,” not the noun pattern.
The derivative version is shorter.
The word can modify a noun without an explicit “of” phrase when the relation is already understood.
Further guidance
Construction
Cambridge documents noun “derivative of” for a form or product made or developed from another form.
Style Boundary
This page records the noun construction evidenced by Cambridge; the adjective derivative and financial-derivative senses have different grammatical behavior.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Derivative — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Direct dictionary evidence for noun “derivative of” meaning a form made or developed from another form.