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

Army, that small discovery underscored the urgency of his efforts to supply troops with the books that meant so much to them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

The trio were honored "for their discovery of a molecular switch for nerve cells," the Nobel Assembly said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

The discovery could have implications for chronic inflammation.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 5, 2026

“If consumers increasingly rely on generative AI as a shopping discovery tool, Walmart appears well-positioned to benefit because its value proposition is simple for models to understand and communicate,” they continued.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026

This was an astounding discovery; the universe was millions of times bigger than previously suspected.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

The trio won the prize for their work on optogenetics and discoveries on how nerve cells shape memories, feelings and behaviors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

"This petition matters because dedicated, ring-fenced government investment would give researches greater certainty, help promising discoveries move into UK clinical trials and ensure rare conditions are not overlooked," he adds.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

Today, maritime disputes between Turkey and Greece and natural-gas discoveries in the eastern Mediterranean have drawn Greece into a closer strategic alliance with Israel who have quickly made common cause.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

This follows the surprising discoveries of enigmatic eukaryotes that can thrive in conditions without oxygen.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 27, 2026

After dinner, when we had all gathered round the fire in the study—Mrs. Harker having gone to bed—we discussed the attempts and discoveries of the day.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

Related Words

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