derivative adjective

A derivative adjective derives from a verb form. You can take certain suffixes (‑ful, ‑ent,‑ant, ‑ive, and others), add them to verbs, and produce derivative adjectives. The word derivative in derivative adjective is, you guessed it, a derivative adjective.

Be careful about using derivative adjectives. If you mean to convey the meaning of the base verb, then use the verb. Thus, instead of saying I am hopeful of an early resolution of this issue, use the verb forms hiding in the derivative adjective hopeful and the derivative noun resolution, and say this instead: I hope to resolve the issue soon.