generation
/ˌdʒenəˈreɪʃn; ˌdʒɛnə`reʃən/ n
1 [U]
(a) production 产生; 发生
the generation of electricity by steam or water-power 蒸汽或水力发电
the generation of heat by friction 摩擦生热.
(b) (biology 生) production of living beings, esp offspring; procreation 繁殖; （尤指）生育後代.
2 [C] single stage in a family history （家史中的）一代
a family party at which all three generations were present, ie children, parents and grandparents 三代同堂的家庭聚会
experience handed down from generation to generation 世代相传的经验.
3 [C, Gp] all people born at about the same time 代（大致在同一时期内出生的所有人）
My generation behaves differently from my father's and grandfather's. 我这一代人和我父辈及祖辈表现不同.
[attrib 作定语]
a first-, second-, third-, etc generation American, ie sb who himself or whose parents or grandparents, etc emigrated to America 第一、 第二、 第三等代美国人（本人或其父母或其祖父母等移居美国者）.
4 [C] average period, usu considered to be 25-30 years, in which children grow up to become full adults 一代人的期间, 代（通常认为是从儿童长到成年人的25-30年间）
a generation ago 一代人之前
within one generation 在一代人的期间内.
5 [C] single stage in the development of a type of product （产品类型的）代
the new generation of supersonic airliners 新一代的超音速客机
[attrib 作定语]
third-generation robots 第三代机器人.