development

[ dih-vel-uhp-muhnt ]

noun

1. the act or process of developing; growth; progress:

   child development; economic development.

   Synonyms: maturation, opening, evolution, growth, elaboration, expansion

   Antonyms: disintegration, deterioration

2. a significant consequence or event:

   recent developments in the field of science.

3. a developed or advanced state or form:

   Drama reached its highest development in the plays of Shakespeare.

   Synonyms: ripeness, maturity

4. 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.
5. 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.

   Synonyms: subdivision, community

6. Chess. the act or process of developing chess pieces.
7. Mining. the work of digging openings, as tunnels, raises, and winzes, to give access to new workings, and of erecting necessary structures.

development

/ dɪˈvɛləpmənt /

noun

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. an area or tract of land that has been developed
5. Also calleddevelopment section the section of a movement, usually in sonata form, in which the basic musical themes are developed
6. chess
   1. the process of developing pieces
   2. the manner in which they are developed
   3. the position of the pieces in the early part of a game with reference to their attacking potential or defensive efficiency

Derived Forms

• deˌvelopˈmental, adjective
• deˌvelopˈmentally, adverb

Other Words From

• de·velop·mental de·velop·menta·ry adjective
• de·velop·mental·ly adverb
• anti·de·velop·ment adjective
• hyper·de·velop·ment noun
• hyper·de·velop·mental adjective
• nonde·velop·ment noun
• nonde·velop·mental adjective
• nonde·velop·mental·ly adverb
• postde·velop·mental adjective
• prede·velop·ment noun
• self-de·velop·ment noun
• subde·velop·ment noun
• super·de·velop·ment noun
• unde·velop·ment noun
• unde·velop·mental adjective
• unde·velop·mental·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of development¹

First recorded in 1745–55; develop + -ment, or from French développement

Example Sentences

The development and deployment of a vaccine will affect everybody on the planet.

From ProPublica

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.

From Washington Post

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.

From Digiday

The rest was spent on things like personnel, operations and maintenance, and research and development.

From Washington Post

Until now, the market mechanisms had essentially socialized the consequences of high-risk development.

From ProPublica

A second document was titled: “Gambia Reborn: A Charter for Transition from Dictatorship to Democracy and Development.”

From The Daily Beast

Children in households with more equitable participation of men show better health and development.

From The Daily Beast

In a frightening development for the GOP, Democrats had won even traditionally Republican constituencies in the Midwest.

From The Daily Beast

In a remote location with little means for economic development, the Brogpas have cultivating this identity to their advantage.

From The Daily Beast

Despite its ranking at the bottom of most international development indexes, the conflict is shrouded by confusion.

From The Daily Beast

It is the development of character, the triumph of intellectuality and spirituality I have striven to express.'

From Project Gutenberg

The whole aim is to secure the development of character by the expression of the highest elements of character.

From Project Gutenberg

Why use dangerous cosmetics when Jones' soap retains youth and health for the complexion, and fosters the development of beauty?

From Project Gutenberg

The obstacles operating against the development of enterprises and employment of foreign capital to be removed.

From Project Gutenberg

John Baptiste Robinet taught the gradual development of all forms of existence from a single creative cause.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• advancement
• evolution
• expansion
• improvement
• increase
• progress