discovery

[ dih-skuhv-uh-ree ]
See synonyms for discovery on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural dis·cov·er·ies.
  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.

  1. 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.

  2. Discovery .U.S. Aerospace. the third space shuttle to orbit and return to earth.

Origin of discovery

1
First recorded in 1545–55; discover + -y3

Other words from discovery

  • non·dis·cov·er·y, noun, plural non·dis·cov·er·ies.
  • pre·dis·cov·er·y, noun, plural pre·dis·cov·er·ies.
  • re·dis·cov·er·y, noun, plural re·dis·cov·er·ies.
  • self-dis·cov·er·y, noun, plural self·-dis·cov·er·ies.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for discovery

discovery

/ (dɪˈskʌvərɪ) /


nounplural -eries
  1. the act, process, or an instance of discovering

  2. a person, place, or thing that has been discovered

  1. law the compulsory disclosure by a party to an action of relevant documents in his possession

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