generator

Short definition from Wiktionary

Noun

1. 1
   One who, or that which, generates, begets, causes, or produces: An apparatus in which vapour or gas is formed from a liquid or solid by means of heat or chemical process, as a steam boiler, gas retort etc.
2. 2
   One who, or that which, generates, begets, causes, or produces: The principal sound or sounds by which others are produced; the fundamental note or root of the common chord; -- see also generating tone.
3. 3
   One who, or that which, generates, begets, causes, or produces: An interval that is repeatedly stacked to obtain other pitches in tuning systems or scales.
4. 4
   One who, or that which, generates, begets, causes, or produces: An element of a group that is used in the presentation of the group: one of the elements from which the others can be inferred with the given relators.
5. 5
   One who, or that which, generates, begets, causes, or produces: One of the lines of a ruled surface; more generally, an element of some family of linear spaces.
6. 6
   One who, or that which, generates, begets, causes, or produces: A subordinate piece of code which, given some initial parameters, will generate multiple output values on request.
7. 7
   A piece of apparatus, equipment, etc, to convert or change energy from one form to another.
8. 8
   A piece of apparatus, equipment, etc, to convert or change energy from one form to another: Especially, a machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.