improvement

[im-proov-muhnt]

noun

1. an act of improving or the state of being improved.

2. a change or addition by which a thing is improved.

3. a person or thing that represents an advance on another in excellence or achievement.

   The new landlord is a great improvement over his greedy predecessor.

   Synonyms: advancement, betterment, refinement

4. a bringing into a more valuable or desirable condition, as of land or real property; betterment.

   Synonyms: repair, enhancement

5. something done or added to real property that increases its value.

6. profitable use, as of a period of time.

improvement

/ ɪmˈpruːvmənt /

noun

1. the act of improving or the state of being improved

2. something that improves, esp an addition or alteration

3. alteration of the structure, fixtures, fittings, or decor of a building without changing its function Compare conversion

4. (usually plural) a building or other works on a piece of land, adding to its value

Other Word Forms

• nonimprovement noun
• preimprovement noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of improvement¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English improuement, from Anglo-French emprouement “something profitable (especially exploitation of land)”; improve, -ment

Example Sentences

This is a dramatic improvement compared to previous attempts, where only a small fraction of the light was usable.

From Science Daily

With just 18 people, the team was able to transport the moai 100 meters in just 40 minutes, a marked improvement over previous vertical transport attempts.

From Science Daily

The Care Inspectorate has ordered improvements to be made to services at Castlehill Care Home in Inverness, or risk having its registration cancelled.

From BBC

After a poor start to the campaign, they had shown signs of improvement, taking seven points from their past three games, including Saturday's 2-1 win over Oxford United.

From BBC

On a recent visit, Warwas was still fine-tuning home improvement possibilities.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• advance 
• advancement 
• change 
• development 
• enhancement 
• gain 
• growth 
• increase 
• progress 
• recovery 
• renovation 
• revision 
• rise 
• upgrade