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[ dih-vel—uhp-muhnt ]
/ dɪˈvɛl əp mənt /
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
noun
the act or process of developing; growth; progress: child development; economic development.
a significant consequence or event: recent developments in the field of science.
a developed or advanced state or form: Drama reached its highest development in the plays of Shakespeare.
Music. the part of a movement or composition in which a theme or themes are developed, or unfolded and elaborated, by various technical means, so as to reveal their inherent possibilities.
a large group of private houses or of apartment houses, often of similar design, constructed as a unified community, especially by a real-estate developer or government organization.
Chess. the act or process of developing chess pieces.
Mining. the work of digging openings, as tunnels, raises, and winzes, to give access to new workings, and of erecting necessary structures.
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Origin of development
1745–55; develop + -ment, or <French développement
OTHER WORDS FROM development
de·vel·op·men·tal, de·vel·op·men·ta·ry, adjectivede·vel·op·men·tal·ly, adverban·ti·de·vel·op·ment, adjectivehy·per·de·vel·op·ment, noun
hy·per·de·vel·op·men·tal, adjectivenon·de·vel·op·ment, nounnon·de·vel·op·men·tal, adjectivenon·de·vel·op·men·tal·ly, adverbpost·de·vel·op·men·tal, adjectivepre·de·vel·op·ment, nounself-de·vel·op·ment, nounsub·de·vel·op·ment, nounsu·per·de·vel·op·ment, nounun·de·vel·op·ment, nounun·de·vel·op·men·tal, adjectiveun·de·vel·op·men·tal·ly, adverb
Words nearby development
developing agent, developing country, developing nation, developing-out paper, developing world, development, developmental biology, developmental disability, developmental disorder, developmentalist, developmental psychology
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Words related to development
advancement, evolution, expansion, improvement, increase, progress, change, issue, outcome, result, situation, addition, adulthood, advance, augmentation, boost, buildup, chrysalis, developing, enlargement
How to use development in a sentence
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The development and deployment of a vaccine will affect everybody on the planet.
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I believed then, and I’m even more convinced now, that a rising China is an incredibly positive development for not only China, but the United States and the rest of the world.
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Some of that has been done through acquisition — in 2016 Red Ventures bought Bankrate, which owns sites including The Points Guy, and acquired Healthline and HigherEducation in 2019 — and some has been done through internal development.
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The rest was spent on things like personnel, operations and maintenance, and research and development.
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Until now, the market mechanisms had essentially socialized the consequences of high-risk development.
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A second document was titled: “Gambia Reborn: A Charter for Transition from Dictatorship to Democracy and Development.”
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Children in households with more equitable participation of men show better health and development.
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In a frightening development for the GOP, Democrats had won even traditionally Republican constituencies in the Midwest.
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In a remote location with little means for economic development, the Brogpas have cultivating this identity to their advantage.
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Despite its ranking at the bottom of most international development indexes, the conflict is shrouded by confusion.
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It is the development of character, the triumph of intellectuality and spirituality I have striven to express.’
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The whole aim is to secure the development of character by the expression of the highest elements of character.
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Why use dangerous cosmetics when Jones’ soap retains youth and health for the complexion, and fosters the development of beauty?
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The obstacles operating against the development of enterprises and employment of foreign capital to be removed.
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John Baptiste Robinet taught the gradual development of all forms of existence from a single creative cause.
British Dictionary definitions for development
noun
the act or process of growing, progressing, or developing
the product or result of developing
a fact, event, or happening, esp one that changes a situation
an area or tract of land that has been developed
Also called: development section the section of a movement, usually in sonata form, in which the basic musical themes are developed
chess
- the process of developing pieces
- the manner in which they are developed
- the position of the pieces in the early part of a game with reference to their attacking potential or defensive efficiency
Derived forms of development
developmental, adjectivedevelopmentally, adverb
Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Development or developing may refer to:
Arts[edit]
- Development hell, when a project is stuck in development
- Filmmaking, development phase, including finance and budgeting
- Development (music), the process thematic material is reshaped
- Photographic development
- Development (album), a 2002 album by Nonpoint
Business[edit]
- Business development, a process of growing a business
- Career development
- Corporate development, a position in a business
- Energy development, activities concentrated on obtaining energy from natural resources
- Green development, a real estate concept that considers social and environmental impact of development
- Land development, altering the landscape in any number of ways
- Land development bank, a kind of bank in India
- Leadership development
- New product development
- Organization development
- Professional development
- Real estate development
- Research and development
- Training and development
- Fundraising, also called «development»
Biology and medicine[edit]
- Adult development, between adolescence and the end of life
- Child development, between birth and the end of adolescence
- Development (journal), an academic journal in developmental biology
- Developmental biology, the study of the process by which organisms grow and develop
- Developmental psychology, the scientific study of how and why human beings change over the course of their life
- Drug development, the entire process of bringing a new drug or device to the market
- Embryogenesis, or development, the process by which the embryo is formed
- Human development (biology), the process of growing to maturity
- Neural development, the processes that generate, shape, and reshape the nervous system
- Personal development, or self-help
- Prenatal development, the process in which a human embryo or fetus gestates during pregnancy
- Tooth development or odontogenesis
- Youth development
Computing[edit]
- Artificial development, an area of computer science and engineering
- Software development, the development of a software product
- Web development, work involved in developing a web site
- Mobile app development, act or process by which a mobile app is developed
- Video game development
[edit]
- Community development, practices to improve various aspects of communities
- Development communication
- Developing country, a nation with a lesser developed industrial base
- Development aid, financial aid given by governments and other agencies
- Development geography, a branch of geography which refers to the standard of living and quality of life of inhabitants
- Development studies, examines socioeconomic growth and development, especially in developing countries, and may overlap with postcolonial studies
- Development theory
- Economic development, the process by which a nation improves the economic, political, and social well-being of its people
- European Development Fund, the main instrument for European Union (EU) aid for development
- Human Development Index, used to rank countries by level of human development
- Human development (humanity), the science that seeks to understand how and why people of all ages and circumstances change or remain the same over time
- International development, usually level of economic development
- Regional development, aid and assistance to regions which are less economically developed
- Rural development, the process of improving the quality of life and economic well-being of people living in rural areas
- Sociocultural evolution, how cultures and societies have changed over time
- Sustainable development
Other uses[edit]
- Development (differential geometry), rolling one smooth surface over another
- Development (topology), a countable collection of open coverings
- Development, a term used in chess
- Development of doctrine, a term used by John Henry Newman to describe Catholic teachings
- Driver development program, a program used by racing teams to develop younger drivers
See also[edit]
- Develop (disambiguation)
- Elaboration
1
: the act, process, or result of developing
the development of new ideas
an interesting development in the case
2
: the state of being developed
3
: a tract of land that has been made available or usable : a developed tract of land
especially
: one with houses built on it
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Good nutrition is important for proper muscle development.
The company offers many opportunities for professional development.
The software is still in the early stages of development.
I try to keep up with the latest developments in computer technology.
Have there been any new developments in the case?
Recent Examples on the Web
This global issue is continuing to spread with the development of cities.
—
House Beautiful, 8 Apr. 2023
The United States and Japan are eyeing joint development of a defense system that can shoot down hypersonic weapons—specifically those that glide through the atmosphere in flight.
—Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 8 Apr. 2023
Get Breaking News Alerts Stay up-to-date with important news developments, delivered right to your inbox.
—Gabe Stern, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Apr. 2023
Gregory added a commercial arms race between AI-companies is contributing to the rapid development of these tools and the lack of safeguards.
—Emmanuelle Saliba, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2023
This money will be used, in part, for the development of the larger Tianlong-3 launcher and its rocket engines.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 7 Apr. 2023
Today that is beginning to change, thanks to the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
—Nathan Price, wsj.com, 7 Apr. 2023
The pandemic also led the private sector and business leaders to rapidly recognize the importance of mental well-being for the survival, growth, and development of young people–and for their customers and employees in their role as parents and caregivers.
—Carla Haddad Mardini, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2023
Tsusho’s energy infrastructure solutions team led the development of the project and will manage the construction, which is scheduled to begin in the spring.
—Paul Gattis | Pgattis@al.com, al, 6 Apr. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘development.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1756, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of development was
in 1756
Dictionary Entries Near development
Cite this Entry
“Development.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/development. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.
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10 Apr 2023
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
de·vel·op·ment
(dĭ-vĕl′əp-mənt)
n.
1. The act of developing or the state of being developed, as:
a. The application of techniques or technology to the production of new goods or services.
b. The business of constructing buildings or otherwise altering land for new uses.
2. A significant event, occurrence, or change: a news story covering the latest developments in the scandal.
3. A group of dwellings built by the same contractor: bought a condo in a new development built by the river.
4. The organized activity of soliciting donations or grants; fundraising.
5. Music
a. Elaboration of a theme with rhythmic and harmonic variations.
b. The central section of a movement in sonata form, in which the theme is elaborated and explored.
de·vel′op·men′tal (-mĕn′tl) adj.
de·vel′op·men′tal·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
development
(dɪˈvɛləpmənt)
n
1. the act or process of growing, progressing, or developing
2. the product or result of developing
3. a fact, event, or happening, esp one that changes a situation
4. (Human Geography) an area or tract of land that has been developed
5. (Classical Music) Also called: development section the section of a movement, usually in sonata form, in which the basic musical themes are developed
6. (Chess & Draughts) chess
a. the process of developing pieces
b. the manner in which they are developed
c. the position of the pieces in the early part of a game with reference to their attacking potential or defensive efficiency
deˌvelopˈmental adj
deˌvelopˈmentally adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
de•vel•op•ment
(dɪˈvɛl əp mənt)
n.
1. the act of developing.
2. a significant consequence or event.
3. a developed state or form; maturity.
4. the section of a musical composition in which themes or motifs are developed.
5. a large group of dwellings, often of similar design and constructed as a community, esp. by a real-estate developer.
6. the raising of funds, expansion of activities or opportunities, etc., esp. for an organization or foundation.
[1745–55; < French]
de•vel`op•men′tal, adj.
de•vel`op•men′tal•ly, adv.
Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
| Noun | 1. |  development — act of improving by expanding or enlarging or refining; «he congratulated them on their development of a plan to meet the emergency»; «they funded research and development»
improvement — the act of improving something; «their improvements increased the value of the property» progress, advancement — gradual improvement or growth or development; «advancement of knowledge»; «great progress in the arts» broadening — the action of making broader; «the broadening of travel» working out, elaboration — developing in intricate and painstaking detail product development — improving an existing product or developing new kinds of products |
| 2. |  development — a process in which something passes by degrees to a different stage (especially a more advanced or mature stage); «the development of his ideas took many years»; «the evolution of Greek civilization»; «the slow development of her skill as a writer»
evolution physical process, process — a sustained phenomenon or one marked by gradual changes through a series of states; «events now in process»; «the process of calcification begins later for boys than for girls» assibilation — the development of a consonant phoneme into a sibilant deepening — a process of becoming deeper and more profound growth — a progression from simpler to more complex forms; «the growth of culture» unfolding, flowering — a developmental process; «the flowering of antebellum culture» |
|
| 3. |  development — (biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level; «he proposed an indicator of osseous development in children»
growing, growth, ontogenesis, ontogeny, maturation culture — (biology) the growing of microorganisms in a nutrient medium (such as gelatin or agar); «the culture of cells in a Petri dish» biological science, biology — the science that studies living organisms amelogenesis — the developmental process of forming tooth enamel angiogenesis — the formation of new blood vessels apposition — (biology) growth in the thickness of a cell wall by the deposit of successive layers of material auxesis — growth from increase in cell size without cell division anthesis, blossoming, florescence, flowering, inflorescence, efflorescence — the time and process of budding and unfolding of blossoms caenogenesis, cainogenesis, cenogenesis, kainogenesis, kenogenesis — introduction during embryonic development of characters or structure not present in the earlier evolutionary history of the strain or species (such as the addition of the placenta in mammalian evolution) cohesion — (botany) the process in some plants of parts growing together that are usually separate (such as petals) cultivation — the process of fostering the growth of something; «the cultivation of bees for honey» cytogenesis, cytogeny — the origin and development and variation of cells foliation, leafing — (botany) the process of forming leaves fructification — the bearing of fruit gametogenesis — the development and maturation of sex cells through meiosis gastrulation — the process in which a gastrula develops from a blastula by the inward migration of cells germination, sprouting — the process whereby seeds or spores sprout and begin to grow habit — the general form or mode of growth (especially of a plant or crystal); «a shrub of spreading habit» infructescence — the fruiting stage of the inflorescence intussusception — (biology) growth in the surface area of a cell by the deposit of new particles between existing particles in the cell wall juvenescence — the process of growing into a youth life cycle — the course of developmental changes in an organism from fertilized zygote to maturity when another zygote can be produced masculinisation, masculinization, virilisation, virilization — the abnormal development of male sexual characteristics in a female (usually as the result of hormone therapies or adrenal malfunction) morphogenesis — differentiation and growth of the structure of an organism (or a part of an organism) myelinisation, myelinization — the development of a myelin sheath around a nerve fiber neurogenesis — the development of nerve tissues biological process, organic process — a process occurring in living organisms palingenesis, recapitulation — emergence during embryonic development of various characters or structures that appeared during the evolutionary history of the strain or species proliferation — growth by the rapid multiplication of parts psychogenesis — a general term for the origin and development of almost any aspect of the mind psychogenesis — the development in the life of an individual of some disorder that is caused by psychological rather than physiological factors psychomotor development — progressive acquisition of skills involving both mental and motor activities psychosexual development — (psychoanalysis) the process during which personality and sexual behavior mature through a series of stages: first oral stage and then anal stage and then phallic stage and then latency stage and finally genital stage rooting — the process of putting forth roots and beginning to grow suppression — the failure to develop some part or organ dentition, odontiasis, teething — the eruption through the gums of baby teeth teratogenesis — the development of defects in an embryo vegetation — the process of growth in plants isometry — the growth rates in different parts of a growing organism are the same nondevelopment — failure of normal development to occur |
|
| 4. | development — a recent event that has some relevance for the present situation; «recent developments in Iraq»; «what a revolting development!»
alteration, change, modification — an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another; «the change was intended to increase sales»; «this storm is certainly a change for the worse»; «the neighborhood had undergone few modifications since his last visit years ago» turn of events, twist, turn — an unforeseen development; «events suddenly took an awkward turn» phenomenon — a remarkable development ramification, complication — a development that complicates a situation; «the court’s decision had many unforeseen ramifications» |
|
| 5. | development — the act of making some area of land or water more profitable or productive or useful; «the development of Alaskan resources»; «the exploitation of copper deposits»
exploitation usage, use, utilisation, utilization, exercise, employment — the act of using; «he warned against the use of narcotic drugs»; «skilled in the utilization of computers» land development — making an area of land more useful water development, water program, water project — making an area of water more useful overexploitation, overuse, overutilisation, overutilization — exploitation to the point of diminishing returns capitalisation, capitalization — the act of capitalizing on an opportunity commercialisation, commercialization — the act of commercializing something; involving something in commerce; «my father considered the commercialization of Christmas to be a sacrilege»; «the government tried to accelerate the commercialization of this development»; «both companies will retain control over the commercialization of their own products» electrification — the act of providing electricity; «the electrification of rural Tennessee» unitisation, unitization — the joint development of a petroleum resource that straddles territory controlled by different companies |
|
| 6. | development — a district that has been developed to serve some purpose; «such land is practical for small park developments»
housing development — a residential area of similar dwellings built by property developers and usually under a single management; «they live in the new housing development» housing estate — a residential area where the houses were all planned and built at the same time district, territorial dominion, territory, dominion — a region marked off for administrative or other purposes |
|
| 7. | development — a state in which things are improving; the result of developing (as in the early part of a game of chess); «after he saw the latest development he changed his mind and became a supporter»; «in chess your should take care of your development before moving your queen»
chess game, chess — a board game for two players who move their 16 pieces according to specific rules; the object is to checkmate the opponent’s king melioration, improvement — a condition superior to an earlier condition; «the new school represents a great improvement» underdevelopment — state of inadequate development; «much poverty can be traced to the underdevelopment of industry» |
|
| 8. |  development — processing a photosensitive material in order to make an image visible; «the development and printing of his pictures took only two hours»
developing processing — preparing or putting through a prescribed procedure; «the processing of newly arrived immigrants»; «the processing of ore to obtain minerals» underdevelopment — (photography) inadequate processing of film resulting in inadequate contrast |
|
| 9. | development — (music) the section of a composition or movement (especially in sonata form) where the major musical themes are developed and elaborated
section, subdivision — a self-contained part of a larger composition (written or musical); «he always turns first to the business section»; «the history of this work is discussed in the next section» music — an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
development
noun
1. growth, increase, growing, advance, progress, spread, expansion, extension, evolution, widening, blooming, maturing, unfolding, unravelling, burgeoning, advancement, progression, thickening, enlargement the development of the embryo
3. event, change, happening, issue, result, situation, incident, circumstance, improvement, outcome, phenomenon, evolution, unfolding, occurrence, upshot, turn of events, evolvement There has been a significant development in the case.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
development
noun
1. A progression from a simple form to a more complex one:
2. The result or product of building up:
3. Steady improvement, as of an individual or a society:
4. Something significant that happens:
The American Heritage® Roget’s Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
vývojpokrok
udviklingnyudvikling
kehitys
razvoj
fejlemény
òroskiòróun
発展
개발
razvojnapredek
utveckling
การพัฒนา
sự phát triển
development
[dɪˈveləpmənt]
Collins Spanish Dictionary — Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
development
[dɪˈvɛləpmənt] n
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
development
development
:
development area
n → Entwicklungsgebiet nt; (in town) → Erschließungsgebiet nt; (in old town) → Sanierungsgebiet nt
development cycle
n (Comm, Biol) → Entwicklungszyklus m
development grant
n → Entwicklungsförderung f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
develop
(diˈveləp) – past tense, past participle deˈveloped – verb
1. to (cause to) grow bigger or to a more advanced state. The plan developed slowly in his mind; It has developed into a very large city.
2. to acquire gradually. He developed the habit of getting up early.
3. to become active, visible etc. Spots developed on her face.
4. to use chemicals to make (a photograph) visible. My brother develops all his own films.
deˈvelopment noun
1. the process or act of developing. a crucial stage in the development of a child.
2. something new which is the result of developing. important new developments in science.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
development
→ تَطَوُّر vývoj udvikling Entwicklung ανάπτυξη desarrollo kehitys développement razvoj sviluppo 発展 개발 ontwikkeling utvikling rozwój desenvolvimento развитие utveckling การพัฒนา gelişme sự phát triển 发展
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
de·vel·op·ment
n. desarrollo; adelanto; progreso, crecimiento; [germs] proliferación;
child ___ → ___ infantil;
physical ___ → ___ físico;
psychomotor and physical ___ → ___ psicomotor y físico.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
development
n desarrollo; language — desarrollo del lenguaje; physical — desarrollo físico; sexual — desarrollo sexual; speech — desarrollo del habla
English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.