development

American  

[dih-vel-uhp-muhnt] / dɪˈvɛl əp mənt /

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.

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development British  

/ 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 called: development 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

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Other Word Forms

• antidevelopment
  adjective
• developmental
  adjective
• developmentally
  adverb
• developmentary
  adjective
• hyperdevelopment
  noun
• hyperdevelopmental
  adjective
• nondevelopment
  noun
• nondevelopmental
  adjective
• nondevelopmentally
  adverb
• postdevelopmental
  adjective
• predevelopment
  noun
• self-development
  noun
• subdevelopment
  noun
• superdevelopment
  noun
• undevelopment
  noun
• undevelopmental
  adjective
• undevelopmentally
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of development

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

Explanation

Development is the act of improving by expanding, enlarging, or refining. The merging of two university departments might lead to the development of a new curriculum. There are many other definitions for this noun, too. Real estate development is the conversion of land or property to a specific use, like housing or retail space. To grow up, we pass through many stages of development, from infancy to old age. Breaking news is often followed by developments, that is, recent events or information that's relevant to the story.

Example Sentences

That segment turned a profit for SpaceX in 2024 and only swung to a loss last year owing to the steep development costs of the Starship rocket.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026

The legislation exempted a broad array of housing development and infrastructure from environmental review in an effort to streamline construction and help address housing scarcity in California.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026

Land next to a river has been bought by a Green-controlled council so it can be protected from development and enhanced as a wildlife haven.

From BBC • May 27, 2026

“We intend to use the proceeds for research and development, investment in strategic business initiatives and general corporate purposes,” Momentus CEO John Rood said in a statement.

From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026

How could this emerging nation manage its way through this first post-Washington phase of its development?

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

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