growth

American  

[grohth] / groʊθ /

noun

1. the act or process, or a manner of growing; growing; development; gradual increase.

   Synonyms:

   expansion, augmentation

   Antonyms:

   decrease, decline

2. size or stage of development.

   It hasn't yet reached its full growth.

3. completed development.

4. development from a simpler to a more complex stage.

   the growth of ritual forms.

5. development from another but related form or stage.

   the growth of the nation state.

6. something that has grown grown or developed by or as if by a natural process.

   a growth of stubborn weeds.

   Synonyms:

   outgrowth, result

7. Pathology. an abnormal increase in a mass of tissue, as a tumor.

   Synonyms:

   excrescence

8. origin; source; production.

   onions of English growth.

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adjective

1. of or denoting a business, industry, or equity security that grows or is expected to grow in value over a long period of time.

   a growth industry; a growth stock.

growth British  

/ ɡrəʊθ /

noun

1. the process or act of growing, esp in organisms following assimilation of food

2. an increase in size, number, significance, etc

3. something grown or growing

   a new growth of hair

4. a stage of development

5. any abnormal tissue, such as a tumour

6. (modifier) of, relating to, causing or characterized by growth

   a growth industry

   growth hormone

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growth Scientific  

/ grōth /

1. An increase in the size of an organism or part of an organism, usually as a result of an increase in the number of cells. Growth of an organism may stop at maturity, as in the case of humans and other mammals, or it may continue throughout life, as in many plants. In humans, certain body parts, like hair and nails, continue to grow throughout life.

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Other Word Forms

• antigrowth adjective
• pregrowth noun
• regrowth noun
• supergrowth noun

Etymology

Origin of growth

First recorded in 1550–60; grow, -th ¹; probably cognate with Old Norse grōthr

Explanation

The noun growth is the process of something becoming bigger. If you mentioned the growth of your family, you might mean that babies were born or people got married, increasing your family's size. Growth is an increase in physical size, like the growth of a sapling into a mature tree. There are other kinds of growth, like your sister's personal growth since she started to meditate every day. Growth can also mean something that has grown, like a growth of stubble on your dad's face or a cancerous growth that needs to be removed surgically. The Old English root word is growan, "to grow or flourish."

Example Sentences

Their growth slowed, but they remained alive after exposure to shock waves, perchlorates, and even a combination of both stressors.

From Science Daily • Apr. 12, 2026

Since the Great Recession, the growth has largely come from U.S. births, and the median age of U.S.-born Latinos is about 21.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

That would mark the sixth straight quarter of 10%-plus growth for the index.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

Toyota is betting on some electric growth as other automakers cancel models.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

I find a bench beneath a live feed of Brazilian researchers studying the growth rates of various grasses.

From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston

Related Words

• advance
• advancement
• expansion
• gain
• hike
• improvement
• increase
• production
• prosperity
• rise
• success
• surge