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creativity

Etymology and origin of the English word creativity

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1859
Ultimate origin
English (creative)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: UK /ˌkriː.eɪˈtɪv.ə.ti/, US /ˌkriː.eɪˈtɪv.ə.t̬i/[1]

Etymology

It is formed from creative and -ity.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The quality or faculty of being creative: 1859 in Etymonline;[2] 1875 in the OED and Merriam-Webster.[3][4]

Semantic evolution

An earlier word for it was creativeness (1800).[2]

Timeline

  • 1800 – creativeness.[2]
  • 1859 – creativity.[2]
  • 1875 – creative power.[3][4]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. The quality of being creative; the ability to create new things or ideas.

Word family

  • anticreativity
  • noncreativity
  • uncreativity

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
Cite this entry

“Creativity.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/creativity. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·