discovery

American  

[dih-skuhv-uh-ree] / dɪˈskʌv ə ri /

noun

plural

discoveries

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

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

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

The film was reworked and a series of reshoots took place after the discovery, and Michael now instead concludes in 1988, before any accusations were made.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

This discovery points to a new class of antibacterial materials that could be both safe for people and capable of reducing reliance on traditional antibiotics.

From Science Daily • Apr. 26, 2026

Building on this discovery, a 1995 study published in Nature linked that oxygen-rich period to the presence of giant insects.

From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2026

While crate-digging in record stores in the 1970s, his discovery of albums by Fela Kuti, the Nigerian Afropop pioneer—a rare import at the time—complicated his rhythmic education.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

But as interesting as these finds were, it was the discovery of a much different type of object that proved to be the most exciting find of the expedition.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

Related Words

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