creative

I. cre‧a‧tive¹ W3 /kriˈeɪtɪv/ BrE AmE adjective
[Word Family: noun: ↑creation, ↑creativity, ↑creator, ↑creativeness; verb: ↑create, ↑recreate; adverb: ↑creatively; adjective: ↑creative ≠ UNCREATIVE]
1. involving the use of imagination to produce new ideas or things:
This job is so boring. I wish I could do something more creative.
I teach creative writing at Trinity College.
the creative process of writing a poem
Diaghilev did his great creative work in France.
a creative solution to the problem
2. someone who is creative is very good at using their imagination to make things ⇨ inventive:
You’re so creative! I could never make my own clothes.
—creatively adverb
—creativeness noun [uncountable]

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

creative

cre·ative AW adjective, noun [kriˈeɪtɪv] [kriˈeɪtɪv]

adjective
1. only before noun involving the use of skill and the imagination to produce sth new or a work of art
• a course on creative writing (= writing stories, plays and poems)
• the creative and performing arts
• creative thinking (= thinking about problems in a new way or thinking of new ideas)
• the company's creative team

• the creative process

2. having the skill and ability to produce sth new, especially a work of art; showing this ability
• She's very creative— she writes poetry and paints.
• Do you have any ideas? You're the creative one.
Thesaurus:
creative [creative creatively creativity] adj.
• She's very creative— she writes poetry and paints.
artistic • • imaginative • • inventive • • original • • innovative • • ingenious •
a/an creative/artistic/maginative/inventive/original/innovative/ingenious mind
a/an creative/maginative/inventive/original/innovative/ingenious idea/design/solution
creative/imaginative/original/innovative thinking
creative/artistic ability/achievement/skill/talent
Example Bank:
• a highly creative artist
• genuinely creative thinking
• She's very creative— she writes poetry and paints.
• classes on creative writing
• the company's creative team

Derived Words: creatively ▪ creativity

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition

creative / kriˈeɪ.tɪv / / -t̬ɪv / adjective

B1 producing or using original and unusual ideas:

a creative person/artist/designer/programmer

creative talents/powers/abilities

creative thinking

creatively / -li / adverb

creativity / ˌkriː.eɪˈtɪv.ɪ.ti / / -ˈt̬ɪv.ə.t̬i / noun [ U ] ( also creativeness , / -nəs / )

B2

Too many rules might deaden creativity.

Creativity, ingenuity, and flair are the songwriter's real talents.

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

creative

/krieɪtɪv/

Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.

1.
A creative person has the ability to invent and develop original ideas, especially in the arts.
Like so many creative people he was never satisfied.
...her obvious creative talents.
ADJ: usu ADJ n
• crea‧tiv‧ity
American art reached a peak of creativity in the ’50s and 60s.
N-UNCOUNT

2.
Creative activities involve the inventing and making of new kinds of things.
...creative writing...
Cooking is creative.
ADJ: usu ADJ n

3.
If you use something in a creative way, you use it in a new way that produces interesting and unusual results.
...his creative use of words.
ADJ: usu ADJ n
• crea‧tive‧ly
Genet teaches you to think creatively.
ADV

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

creative

cre·a·tive /kriˈeɪtɪv/ adj
1 [more ~; most ~] : having or showing an ability to make new things or think of new ideas
• He was more creative [=imaginative] than the other students.
• She's a very creative person.
• She has one of the most creative minds in the business.
• a burst of creative energy [=energy that you use to make or think of new things]
• They've come up with some creative new ways to make money.
• a creative solution to a difficult problem
• creative thinking
2 always used before a noun : using the ability to make or think of new things : involving the process by which new ideas, stories, etc., are created
• He teaches creative writing at the university.
• the first step in the creative process
• the show's creative director/team
3 always used before a noun usually disapproving : done in an unusual and often dishonest way
• It turns out that the company's report of record profits last year was due to some creative accounting.
- cre·a·tive·ly adv [more ~; most ~]
• Try to think more creatively.
• solving problems creatively
- cre·a·tive·ness noun [noncount]
• I admire her creativeness. [=(more commonly) creativity]