underdeveloped

American  

[uhn-der-di-vel-uhpt] / ˌʌn dər dɪˈvɛl əpt /

adjective

1. improperly or insufficiently developed.

2. Photography. (of a negative) less developed than is normal, so as to produce a relatively dark positive lacking in contrast.

3. developing.

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underdeveloped British  

/ ˌʌndədɪˈvɛləpt /

adjective

1. immature or undersized

2. relating to societies in which both the surplus capital and the social organization necessary to advance are lacking

3. photog (of a film, plate, or print) processed in developer for less than the required time, thus lacking in contrast

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Etymology

Origin of underdeveloped

First recorded in 1890–95; under- + develop + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Instead, U.S. markets have been left in the shade this year by international rivals, including developed markets, underdeveloped “emerging” markets, and even the really undeveloped “frontier” markets.

From MarketWatch

But its production infrastructure is still underdeveloped, making processing relatively expensive, Ms Zhang said.

From BBC

"People often assume rural means underdeveloped, but our centres mirror urban IT hubs in every way – secure data access, reliable connectivity, and uninterrupted power. The only difference is geography. "

From BBC

“Exit barriers are a key reason for India’s underdeveloped manufacturing sector,” said Shoumitro Chatterjee, co-author of a new paper on Indian manufacturing and an assistant professor of international economics at Johns Hopkins University.

From The Wall Street Journal

Too much leads to flabby and underdeveloped minds.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• embryonic
• nascent
• undeveloped