Etymology

creative

C3R1E1A1T1I1V4E1

Today it means: Tending to create things, or having the ability to create; often, excellently, in a novel fashion, or any or all of these. Full definition →

Latin creātīvus ← Proto-Italic [Term?] ← Proto-Indo-European *ḱreh₁eh₂yéti
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱer-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱreh₁-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*ḱreh₁eh₂yéti
  4. Proto-Italic[Term?]
  5. Latincreō
  6. Latincreātīvus
  7. English todaycreative

Borrowed from Late Latin creātīvus, from Latin creō. Equivalent to create + -ive. Displaced native Old English orþanclīċ.

Words from the same roots

Latincreō all →

creole

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.