Generation

Generation is the act of producing offspring, or procreation. It is also the act of bringing something into being. A generation can also be a stage or degree in the succession of natural descent (such as grandfather, father, and son are three generations) or stages of successive improvement in the development of something, such as computers.

A generation can also represent all the people born at about the same time. Historians hold differing opinions as to what extent dividing history into generations is useful or an improper over-generalization. Some named generations: Silent Generation -- Baby Boomers -- Generation X -- Generation Y

See also: Generations (book) by Strauss and Howe