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 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

Other Word Forms

• developmental adjective
• developmentary adjective
• developmentally adverb
• antidevelopment 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of development¹

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

Example Sentences

Artificial intelligence now makes it possible to mass-produce podcasts with completely virtual hosts, a development that is disrupting an industry still finding its footing and operating on a fragile business model.

Read more on Barron's

"These latest developments are deeply disappointing at a moment when soybean farmers are facing an ever-growing financial crisis," he said.

Read more on Barron's

Arguably the most significant development in efforts to curb climate change -- the vertiginous cost reductions of solar and wind power, batteries and electric vehicles -- was seeded long before Paris.

Read more on Barron's

Sure, it will be disruptive in some areas—like assisting in code development in technology or assisting in underwriting in insurance.

Read more on Barron's

Focus remains on developments related to the U.S. government shutdown and any indications regarding prospects of further rate cuts by the Fed.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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