generative idea
- noun
- In the workshop, we brainstormed a generative idea that would lead to innovative solutions for reducing waste.
Examples
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The artist's latest painting was inspired by a generative idea that explored the relationship between nature and technology.
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There is an exposition of this type of synergy in Dorothy Sayers's trinitarian theory of artistic creation, in which an artwork is a collaboration between a generative idea (a "father"), a style (a "son"), and some emotive force (a "ghost").
Academic text (2011) -
The novel introduced a generative idea that sparked discussions about identity and belonging.
Synonyms
A small idea that starts a larger project or plan
A creative work or idea made by someone's imagination
An idea created by a person or group
A new creative plan that solves a problem in a useful way
A basic idea that starts a plan or project
How Original
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a creative concept that produces new or original outcomes' is directly and compositionally derived from 'generative' (capable of producing) + 'idea' (concept). This adjective+noun combination follows standard semantic composition patterns and is likely understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.
Etymology
Generative idea may come from the image of a small seed or simple machine: generative means 'to make or produce' and an idea is a thought that can grow. That's why a generative idea is a thought that keeps creating new things, or 'a creative concept that produces new outcomes'.