To use the definite article or not?

Question

In the sentence 'La musique représente également un moteur de créativité' why is the definite article not used before 'créativité'? I feel a French sentence about creativity would probably begin 'La créativité...'

Cécile Janty-Davies · Accepted Answer

Hi Tom,
In French, when two nouns are linked together by the preposition 'de' you won't have an article before the second noun -

un moteur de recherche = a search engine 
un hotel de ville = a town hall
un sac de rechange = a spare bag 
un sac de couchage = a sleeping bag
un arrêt d'autobus = a bus stop 
etc

Hope this helps

Kevin Collins · Answer

I believe the second noun in these cases is acting as an adjective of the first noun and therefore does not need an article. Adding a second article would be like saying "I waited at the bus the stop" in english.