generation
B1Neutral (used across all registers)
Definition
Meaning
All the people or things born or created at about the same time.
1. The process of producing or creating something. 2. A single stage in a family lineage. 3. A period of around 25–30 years, the average time between one generation and the next.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word has both a 'people' sense (age cohort) and a 'process' sense (act of generating). In family contexts, it implies a step in descent (parents, children, grandchildren).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal lexical difference. The phrase 'gap generation' is not standard; 'generation gap' is used identically in both varieties.
Connotations
Identical connotations.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
generation of (the generation of electricity)generation from (generation from renewable sources)belong to a generationa generation of (a generation of innovators)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Generation gap”
- “A generation ago”
- “For generations to come”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to revenue generation, lead generation, or succession planning ('next generation of leadership').
Academic
Used in sociology (generational studies), biology (cell generation time), and technology (product generations).
Everyday
Talking about family, age groups ('my parents' generation'), and technology ('latest iPhone generation').
Technical
In engineering: power generation; in computing: code generation, next-gen hardware.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The plant generates enough electricity to power the village.
- The report generated a lot of controversy.
American English
- The new policy will generate significant savings.
- Her speech generated enthusiastic applause.
adverb
British English
- The data was generated automatically.
- The income is generated quarterly.
American English
- The content is AI-generated.
- Heat is produced co-generationally with electricity.
adjective
British English
- The new power station uses combined-cycle generation technology.
- Generational change is slow.
American English
- We need a next-generation solution to this problem.
- There are clear generational differences in media consumption.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My grandmother is from an older generation.
- The new generation of phones is very fast.
- There is often a generation gap between parents and their children.
- Solar power is a clean method of electricity generation.
- The post-war generation experienced rapid social change.
- The company is struggling with the generation of consistent cash flow.
- His theories influenced an entire generation of scholars.
- The intergenerational transfer of wealth has significant economic implications.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'GENERation' as a group of people who are GENERally the same age.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A LINE OF DESCENT (moving through generations), CREATION IS BIRTH (generation of ideas).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'younger generation' as 'молодое поколение' in every context; sometimes 'молодёжь' (youth) is more natural.
- The 'process' meaning (генерация) is less common in everyday Russian than the 'cohort' meaning (поколение).
- Do not confuse with 'генерал' (general).
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'There is a big generation between us.' Correct: 'There is a big generation gap between us.'
- Incorrect use of plural for the process sense: 'The generations of new ideas is important.' Correct: 'The generation of new ideas is important.'
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following uses 'generation' in its 'process of creating' sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While commonly used for age groups ('Baby Boomer generation'), it also refers to the act of producing something ('power generation') and stages in technology ('5th generation aircraft').
In familial or demographic contexts, it is roughly 25-30 years, the average time between a parent's birth and their child's birth. In technology, it can be much shorter (e.g., a new smartphone generation every 1-2 years).
'Creation' often implies bringing something into existence from nothing, with a potential artistic or divine connotation. 'Generation' typically implies producing something from a source or process, often in a systematic or technical way (e.g., generating heat, generating profits).
The related word 'generate' is the verb form. 'Generation' itself is a noun. You would say 'The dam generates electricity,' not 'The dam generations electricity.'
Collections
Part of a collection
Family Members
A1 · 44 words · Words for family, people and relationships at home.