discovery
Americannoun
plural
discoveries-
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.
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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.
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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.
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U.S. Aerospace. none Discovery the third space shuttle to orbit and return to earth.
noun
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the act, process, or an instance of discovering
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a person, place, or thing that has been discovered
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law the compulsory disclosure by a party to an action of relevant documents in his possession
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
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The discovery might have been missed if not for careful attention during excavation.
From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026
William Kanellis said a former assistant U.S. attorney was supposed to have turned over the discovery to the defense.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
Despite "dealing with death all the time", some staff asked not to work on the Legacy project after the discovery of baby clothes and other items "that reminded them of their own families".
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
The companies have their own labs, but the difficulty and riskiness of drug discovery has sent companies looking for help outside their walls, too.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
No map has ever yet shown the river...I can direct any man where to find this river...rivers stay put, so that the discovery we have made may be verified.”
From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
