Word family noun produce producer product production reproduction productivity adjective productive ≠ unproductive counterproductive reproductive reproducible verb produce reproduce adverb productively
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishproductivepro‧duc‧tive /prəˈdʌktɪv/ ●●○ adjective 1 EFFICIENTproducing or achieving a lot OPP unproductive Most of us are more productive in the morning. a highly productive meeting2 MAKE[only before noun] relating to the production of goods, crops, or wealth the economy’s productive capacity3 → productive of something —productively adverbExamples from the Corpus
productive• The device is expected to improve patients' quality of life by allowing them to remain active and productive.• Fertilizers make the land more productive.• Studies show that if screen workers have short but frequent breaks they become much more productive.• Such saving is specifically used to increase productive capital and future profits.• And the new order was to comprehend not only labour, not only working classes, but the productive classes.• We should do something to reward our most productive employees.• Companies receive tax credits for buying productive equipment.• It was a very productive meeting.• The most productive members of staff are rewarded by financial bonuses.• The local paper factory has been forced to become more productive or face closure.• It also affects the productive potential of an economy.• It has not been a productive summer for Viv Richards.• It is competition which forces firms to adopt the most efficient productive techniques.• But feedback is always more productive than confrontations, and honesty is always better, and more instructive, than meaningless pleasantries.• A lot of otherwise productive time is being wasted debating the merits of each game.highly productive• This might be high if workers were scarce or highly productive and low if they were redundant or incompetent.• Tokugawa agriculture was highly productive, and the amount levied in tax suggests that production was well above subsistence level.• At one time this was a highly productive dairy region-30 ranches-one of the biggest in the country.• So one could go on to many other sociologists who have been highly productive during their careers.• The use of highly productive equipment means that bonus cut-off can be achieved with ease.• As we move into a well-fed and highly productive era, new diseases transmitted through our food are regularly emerging.• And, work-wise, it proved to be a highly productive fortnight.• Longwall mining is a highly mechanized and highly productive method of underground mining.From Longman Business Dictionaryproductivepro‧duc‧tive /prəˈdʌktɪv/ adjective1producing or achieving somethingThe program is designed to help business users be more productive.We want to turn welfare recipients into productive, working members of society.The plant has the newest and most productive steel-making technology.2ECONOMICSproducing crops, goods, or wealthThe strike is cutting deeper into the company’s productive capacity (=ability to produce things). —productively adverbShe needs to use her time at work more productively. —productiveness noun [uncountable] 