1640s, "person who begets, causes, or produces," from Latin generator "a begetter, producer," agent noun from past participle stem of generare "to bring forth" (see generation). Meaning "machine that generates power" first recorded 1794; sense of "machine that generates electric energy" is from 1879. Fem. generatrix attested from 1650s.[generator etymology, generator origin, 英语词源]