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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Derive \De*rive"\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Derived}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Deriving}.] [F. d['e]river, L. derivare; de- + rivus stream, brook. See {Rival}.]
1. To turn the course of, as water; to divert and distribute into subordinate channels; to diffuse; to communicate; to transmit; -- followed by to, into, on, upon. [Obs.]
For fear it [water] choke up the pits . . . they [the workman] derive it by other drains. --Holland.
Her due loves derived to that vile witch's share. --Spenser.
Derived to us by tradition from Adam to Noah. --Jer. Taylor.
2. To receive, as from a source or origin; to obtain by descent or by transmission; to draw; to deduce; -- followed by from.
3. To trace the origin, descent, or derivation of; to recognize transmission of; as, he derives this word from the Anglo-Saxon.
From these two causes . . . an ancient set of physicians derived all diseases. --Arbuthnot.
4. (Chem.) To obtain one substance from another by actual or theoretical substitution; as, to derive an organic acid from its corresponding hydrocarbon.
Syn: To trace; deduce; infer.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
deriving
noun: (historical linguistics) an explanation of the historical origins of a word or phrase [syn: {derivation}, {etymologizing}]
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