- 1 [countable + singular or plural verb] all the people who were born at about the same time the younger/older generation My generation have grown up without the experience of a world war. I often wonder what future generations will make of our efforts. Wordfinderageadolescent, age, elderly, generation, infant, juvenile, middle-aged, minor, teenage, young Wordfinderrelationancestor, branch, descent, dynasty, family tree, genealogy, generation, inherit, relation, trace Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivecurrent, present, new, … verb + generationbelong to, date back, go back, … generation + verbgrow up generation + noungap prepositionfor a generation, for generations phrasesfrom generation to generation, from one generation to the next See full entry
- 2 [countable] the average time in which children grow up, become adults and have children of their own, (usually considered to be about 30 years) a generation ago My family have lived in this house for generations. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivecurrent, present, new, … verb + generationbelong to, date back, go back, … generation + verbgrow up generation + noungap prepositionfor a generation, for generations phrasesfrom generation to generation, from one generation to the next See full entry
- 3 [countable, uncountable] a single stage in the history of a family stories passed down from generation to generation a first-/second-generation American (= a person whose family has lived in America for one/two generations) Wordfinderfamilyadopt, child, family, generation, heir, in-laws, parent, relation, stepfamily, surrogate mother See related entries: Family background
- 4 [countable, usually singular] a group of people of similar age involved in a particular activity She has inspired a whole generation of fashion school graduates.
- 5[countable, usually singular] a stage in the development of a product, usually a technical one fifth-generation computing a new generation of vehicle
- 6[uncountable] the production of something, especially electricity, heat, etc. the generation of electricity methods of income generation Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveelectricity, power, income, … See full entry Word OriginMiddle English: via Old French from Latin generatio(n-), from the verb generare, from genus, gener- ‘stock, race’.Extra examples I was aware of a real generation gap between us. Succeeding generations have added to the stock of stories and legends. The First World War slaughtered a whole generation. The consequences of the leak may not become apparent for a generation or more. The forest will be preserved for future generations. The older generation prefer a darker and more traditional kind of clothing. The older generation preferred the traditional kind of ceremony. The recipe for making the liqueur has been handed down from generation to generation. The recipe has been handed down from generation to generation. The second generation of immigrants often adopted British forenames. These children seem to have a stronger sense of purpose than the previous generation. This kind of apple has been grown for generations. a family history stretching back generations a generation who grew up on fast food a lost generation of dropouts a second-generation Korean-American artist different methods of power generation people who belong to a younger generation the wisdom of past generations Divorce is much more common now than it was a generation ago. My family have lived in this house for generations. My generation has grown up without the experience of a world war. The older generation tends to have more traditional views. These stories were passed down from generation to generation.
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