improvement
[im-proov-muh nt]
- an act of improving or the state of being improved.
- a change or addition by which a thing is improved.
- a person or thing that represents an advance on another in excellence or achievement: The new landlord is a great improvement over his greedy predecessor.
- a bringing into a more valuable or desirable condition, as of land or real property; betterment.
- something done or added to real property that increases its value.
- profitable use, as of a period of time.
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Origin of improvement
Synonyms
See more synonyms for improvement on Thesaurus.com3. refinement, betterment, advancement. 4. enhancement, repair.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for improvement
Contemporary Examples
And this constitutes a bit of an improvement over 10 or 20 years ago.
This is an improvement on the Permanent International Peace Bureau, Charles Albert Gobat, and Ludwig Quidde.
To say that the past few years have been a watershed period of improvement for LGBT America is an understatement.
No one will deny these schools' sexual assault responses are in need of scrutiny and improvement.
The women with the most severe symptoms experienced the most striking improvement; still others showed no improvement al all.
Historical Examples
The improvement of time ought to be our great and immediate concern.
Female Scripture Biographies, Vol. IIFrancis Augustus Cox
It will be some improvement to mix the meal with milk rather than water.
Directions for Cookery, in its Various BranchesEliza Leslie
If there's any improvement in Betty Graham to-day, it's because of you.
The Fortune HunterLouis Joseph Vance
To these scanty means of improvement, she added another of her own contriving.
Little DorritCharles Dickens
And, indeed, his constant saying was: "There's an improvement already; be patient!"
The Three Cities Trilogy, CompleteEmile Zola
improvement
- the act of improving or the state of being improved
- something that improves, esp an addition or alteration
- alteration of the structure, fixtures, fittings, or decor of a building without changing its functionCompare conversion (def. 9)
- (usually plural) Australian and NZ a building or other works on a piece of land, adding to its value
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for improvement
n.
mid-15c., enprowment "management of something for profit," from Anglo-French emprowement, from emprouwer "turn to profit" (see improve). Meaning "betterment; amelioration" is from 1640s. Meaning "buildings, etc. on a piece of property" is from 1773. Related: Improvements.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper