discovery

American  

[dih-skuhv-uh-ree] / dɪˈskʌv ə ri /

noun

• discoveries
  plural

1. the act or process of seeing, finding, or gaining knowledge of something previously unknown, or an instance of this.

   The university is dedicated to the discovery, development, communication, and application of knowledge in a wide range of academic and professional fields.

   Shortly after the discovery of the tomb, many people associated with the expedition died.

2. something found, found out, noticed, or realized.

   In 2009, archaeologists in Rome unearthed a startling discovery: the remains of an elaborate banquet hall built during the reign of Nero.

3. Law. the compulsory exchange or disclosure of information, evidence, documents, etc., in preparation for a lawsuit or trial.

   The plaintiff filed a motion to compel discovery, but the defendants argued that some of the information was exempt.

4. U.S. Aerospace. none Discovery the third space shuttle to orbit and return to earth.

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discovery British  

/ dɪˈskʌvərɪ /

noun

1. the act, process, or an instance of discovering

2. a person, place, or thing that has been discovered

3. law the compulsory disclosure by a party to an action of relevant documents in his possession

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Usage

What does discovery mean? A discovery is something that has been discovered—found or found out about for the first time. Discovery can also mean the process of discovering. Discoveries involve finding or gaining knowledge about something that was previously unknown or unseen. The word is especially associated with finding new places (as in the discovery of new lands) and scientific breakthroughs (as in the discovery of a cure). The word discovery is also used in a much more specific way in the context of law, in which it refers to the required disclosure of things like documents to the other party during a legal proceeding, as in These invoices were produced by client during discovery. Example: Ancient Oceanic peoples discovered new methods of seafaring that allowed their discovery and settlement of faraway islands.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nondiscovery
  noun
• prediscovery
  noun
• rediscovery
  noun
• self-discovery
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• discoveries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of discovery

First recorded in 1545–55; discover + -y ³

Explanation

The noun discovery means the finding or uncovering of something. The discovery of a body is usually an important plot point in a mystery novel. The process of finding, realizing, or unearthing something is discovery, like your discovery of a live lizard in the birthday box your aunt mailed from Arizona. The lizard is also a discovery — the thing that is found. In law, discovery means the obligation to reveal any relevant documents to the opposing party in a legal case. The Latin root, discooperire, basically translates as "the opposite of covering something up."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

discovery discoveries

The agreement came after a prior 2023 IMF deal for $1.8 billion was suspended following the discovery of unreported debt under the previous administration.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

An MoD spokesperson said the government had conducted an "extensive records discovery exercise" to address questions about the programme, with its findings published in full.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

"Thailand really is the hotspot for research and discovery" in Southeast Asia, said Richard Cloutier, a professor of palaeontology visiting from Canada's Universite du Quebec a Rimouski.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

The discovery pushes the story of giant arthropods much further back in time than the period usually associated with enormous insects and other invertebrates.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 2, 2026

The discovery of Broca's area finished of the theories of the Phrenologists and the Whole Brainers.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

"The timeframe of our discoveries fills a geological gap or missing link present in records of other countries," said Suravech Suteethorn, deputy director of the university's Palaeontological Research and Education Centre.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

The discoveries came after explosions had temporarily stopped power transmission in both areas.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

The findings have been rated 2.6 sigma, which is the system that marks the statistical significance of discoveries.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

“SB 895 will help protect the people and discoveries that drive billions of dollars in economic activity and improve lives across our state.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026

Of course the critics are right in that concepts such as discovery are problematic: discoveries are rarely made by a single individual at a precise moment in time.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

• analysis
• detection
• diagnosis
• disclosure
• encounter
• exploration
• introduction
• revelation
• sighting