generation
noun
gen·er·a·tion
ˌje-nə-ˈrā-shən
1
a
: a body of living beings constituting a single step in the line of descent from an ancestor
b
: a group of individuals born and living contemporaneously
the younger generation
c
: a group of individuals having contemporaneously a status (such as that of students in a school) which each one holds only for a limited period
d
: a type or class of objects usually developed from an earlier type
… first of the … new generation of powerful supersonic fighters …—Kenneth Koyen
2
a
: the action or process of producing offspring : procreation
b
: the process of coming or bringing into being
generation of income
c
: origination by a generating process : production
especially
: formation of a geometric figure by motion of another
3
: the average span of time between the birth of parents and that of their offspring
Cite this Entry
“Generation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/generation. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.
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