innovativein‧nov‧at‧ive /ˈɪnəvətɪv $ ˈɪnəˌveɪtɪv/ ●○○ AWL (also innovatory) adjective 
an innovative approach to language teaching innovative schemes for recycling waste materials► see thesaurus at new2using clever new ideas and methods: an innovative design team
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- an innovative young man
- The city has introduced an innovative system of traffic control.
- The idea for the programme 'Big Brother' was highly innovative.
- When it was first introduced, the electric car was described as one of the ten most innovative products of the year.
THESAURUS
· a new sports centre· a new edition of the book· an entirely new theory of time and space
completely new: · a brand new car· The house looks brand new.
made, produced etc a short time ago: · recent research into brain chemistry
[only before noun] the most recent: · Have you seen his latest film?· the latest fashions from Paris
different from earlier things of the same kind because of using new methods, equipment, or designs: · modern technology· modern farming methods· a modern kitchen
new and completely different from what other people have done or thought of before, especially in a way that seems interesting: · The play is highly original.· His style is completely original.
fresh ideas, evidence, or ways of doing things are new and different, and are used instead of previous ones: · We need a fresh approach to the problem.· They want young people with fresh ideas.· Police think they may have found some fresh evidence that links him to the murder.
new and different in a surprising and unusual way – used especially about a suggestion, experience, or way of doing something: · The club have come up with a novel way of raising cash.· The King was passionately in love, which was a novel experience for him.
completely new and showing a lot of imagination – used especially about a design or way of doing something: · an attractive website with an innovative design· They came up with an innovative approach to the problem.
completely new in a way that has a very big effect – used especially about an idea, method, or invention: · a revolutionary treatment for breast cancer· His theories were considered to be revolutionary at the time.
[only before noun] used about something that is new and modern but which you disapprove of: · My grandfather hated all this newfangled technology.
Longman Language Activatornew ideas or ways of doing things new ideas or ways of doing things that did not exist before or had not been thought of before: · Does anyone have any new ideas?new ways/methods of doing something: · The hospital is doing a lot of research into new ways of treating asthma.· It's vital that we find new methods of producing and conserving energy.
completely different from anything that has been thought of before: original idea/design/style: · My job is to think up creative and original advertising ideascompletely original: · Woolf's writing was completely original - nothing like it had ever been done before.· a jazz musician with a completely original stylehighly original: · I was impressed by the highly original design of the house.
a revolutionary idea, method, or invention is completely different from anything that existed before, and is likely to bring important changes or improvements: · Einstein's revolutionary theories made people look at the universe in a completely new way.· revolutionary technology for producing cheap, pollution-free energy· The new treatment for cancer is considered revolutionary.
an innovative design, idea, plan etc is new, different and better than those that existed before, and shows a lot of imagination: · The city has introduced an innovative system of traffic control.· When it was first introduced, the electric car was described as one of the ten most innovative products of the year.highly innovative: · The idea for the programme 'Big Brother' was highly innovative.
something such as a new idea, method, or system that has never been thought of before, especially one that is better than previous ones: · The kids-only Internet service is a great innovation which will help parents control their children's access to the Internet.technological innovations: · All the latest technological innovations of cinema were used to create the special effects.communication/software etc innovations: · What exactly will the impact of all these communication innovations be?
a fresh idea, approach etc is new and different from previous ones, and may help to deal with a problem: · We need a fresh approach to this problem.· The negotiations won't make any progress unless one of the sides puts forward fresh proposals.· Toy manufacturers are always on the lookout for fresh ideas.
a novel idea, method etc is new and interesting because it is unexpected and different from what has existed before: · Scientists have come up with a novel way of catching fish.· Tonight's TV news will be presented in a novel format.· I spent six months living in a monastery in northern India, which was a novel experience.
something that is interesting because it is new and unusual, especially when this makes people think it is not very serious: · Retail analysts say that electronic shopping remains a novelty for most peopleit is a novelty for somebody to do something: · It was a novelty for people at college to see a student with two kids.be something of a novelty (=seem new and unusual): · Fast-food restaurants like McDonald's are still something of a novelty in Moscow.
pioneering work, research, efforts etc introduce completely new ways of doing things, which are later followed and developed by other people: · Moore's pioneering work on semiconductors has made him perhaps the most famous figure in Silicon Valley.· Pioneering research shows that the experiences of childhood help form the brain's circuits for music and maths, language and emotion.
if a science or a new area of knowledge or study is in its infancy , people have just begun to find out more about it, to work with it etc: · The science of cybernetics is still in its infancy.· These rockets were built at a time when space technology was in its infancy.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY an innovative approach to language teachingCOLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
an innovative approach to language teaching (=no one has thought of it before)· The company is looking for people who can come up with original ideas.
(=using new ideas)· an innovative scheme to help the unemployed get back to work
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· Although not yet in clinical use there is now some highly innovative potential in the treatment of disease.· Slacker is very funny indeed and highly innovative in its use of roving camera and juxtaposing various disparate conversations.
· Much of this artistic creativity was more innovative than before.· Try to come up with something more innovative and stimulating.· Mission-driven organizations are more innovative than rule-driven organizations.· There is no evidence that big drug firms are any more innovative than their smaller peers.· Third, decentralized institutions are far more innovative than centralized institutions.· Now we have one of the world's more innovative cultures.· This is milk float technology - it could have been more innovative.
· One of the most innovative systems is that found in the optical mouse used with the Xerox Star business computer.· Perhaps the most innovative feature of the ship involves food.· Such are the mysteries and such is the music which made Detroit techno the most innovative musical event of the last decade.· Perhaps the most innovative aspect of the sentimental comedy is that it represented a new form of tragi-comedy.· The sound isn't the most innovative ever, and the influence of Stevie Wonder and the Jackson 5 is obvious.· One can be most innovative here.· Pisanello is at his most innovative in his drawings, as is also Jacopo Bellini.· One of the country's most innovative printmakers has brought the spectrum of artistic endeavor to the Old Pueblo.
· The programme is very innovative and interesting but funny at the same time.· On the face of it, this plan of campaign did not seem very innovative.· Wonderful stuff, and very innovative for its time.
NOUN· The second pilot investigation is concerned with the innovative activities of small firms.· We didn't anticipate, though, the scale of this innovative activity.· Finally, not all feedbacks from output markets have a deleterious effect on innovative activity.
· A couple of early speeches suggested that he might marry innovative approaches with a commitment to U.S. leadership.· In Chapter Seven, we will discuss the innovative approach he and his colleagues followed.· To succeed in such an environment requires an innovative approach to business.· Grammar Dictation offers an innovative approach to the study of grammar in the language classroom.· The innovative approach cost only a small amount more, with no increase in price to the customer.· Both Johansson and Reddy reached their conclusions by using a simple, yet innovative approach.· He spent seven years furthering his understanding of head protection systems before coming up with his own innovative approach.
· Unfortunately, most of these useful and innovative ideas go to waste without investigation.· The ship has some innovative ideas in entertaining as well.· Machine knitting can convert innovative ideas into wearable artwork.· Exposure during his or her career to innovative ideas and / or tactics.· Educated privately at her homes at Parkwern and Hendrefoilan she inherited a long family tradition of unorthodox and innovative ideas.· And then when the graduates from that process come up with the goods, invest in their innovative ideas.· Labour needs to match its commitment to spending with innovative ideas about service delivery, financing and management.· Many of their innovative ideas lost money and failed to win acceptance by customers.
· An innovative product embodying new technology meets new user needs and sells on performance.· Automakers also are demanding high-quality and innovative products and shorter design and delivery times, industry experts said.· Brand A is an innovative product concept which will make life very much easier for all slimmers.· Brand of the Year was awarded for our long term policy of providing modern stores and innovative products while retaining traditional values.
· Holt features the place of matrix structures and venture teams in organizing innovative projects.· Throughout the year, a number of innovative projects, programmes and initiatives were formulated and delivered.· This is an innovative project, aimed at combining the sociology of science with science policy analysis at the national level.· Due to the great variety of approaches for organizing innovative projects, it is difficult to classify them.· Quadrant 2 is an area in which innovative projects frequently end up, and it is risky.
· As already stated, many innovative schemes appeared to be in operation, but there was very little evaluation.· Some innovative schemes have been proposed.· He who pays the piper ... Such innovative schemes are not confined to the United States.· It also funds innovative schemes to provide secure homes for young and old.
· Magically, the two most obvious options are Flight and Become Ethereal, although other innovative solutions are possible.· They might have entered competitions sponsored by local companies to provide innovative solutions to real-world problems.
· Only innovative technology can achieve such a pace of construction, which the Soviets say is the fastest in the world.
· This is despite considerable efforts to create innovative ways of developing teacher training in the post-independence period.· But two companies are creating a stir with their innovative ways of delivering that information.· Buying groups, marketing schemes and innovative ways of pooling farm resources are all developing.
· Indeed the Faculty encourages interdisciplinary activity and recognises that much innovative work has derived from the intellectual stimulus of multidisciplinary study.· It was almost inevitable that this would have a negative effect on any innovative work.· In July Eigen & Art in Berlin presents a cross-section of innovative work by young, international artists.
WORD FAMILYadjectiveinnovativeinnovatorynouninnovationverbinnovate
1an innovative idea or way of doing something is new, different, and better than those that existed before: an innovative approach to language teaching innovative schemes for recycling waste materials► see thesaurus at new2using clever new ideas and methods: an innovative design team- Central African Republic
- Central America
- central bank
- central casting
- Central Criminal Court
- central government
- central heating
- Central Intelligence Agency
- centralism
- centrality
- centralization
- centralize
- centralized
- central locking
- centrally
- centrally heated
- Central Mosque
- central nervous system
- Central Office
- Central Office of Information
- Central Park
- central processing unit
- central reservation
- centre
- centred