productive

Founding-era definition · Webster's 1828 American Dictionary

PRODUC'TIVE, adjective 1. Having the power of producing; as, productive labor is that which increases the number or amount of products; opposed to unproductive labor. The labor of the farmer and mechanic is productive; the labor of officers and professional men is unproductive to the state. A tree which bears fruit, and the land which bears grass or grain, is productive 2. Fertile; producing good crops. We often denote by this word that land or plants yield large products. 3. Producing; bringing into being; causing to exist; efficient; as an age productive of great men; a spirit productive of heroic achievements. This is turning nobility into a principle of virtue, and making it productive of merit. And kindle with thy own productive fire.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI

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