advancement

[ ad-vans-muhnt, -vahns- ]

noun

1. the act or process of moving forward:

   They hoped that destroying bridges around the metropolis would slow the advancement of enemy troops.

2. promotion in rank or standing; preferment:

   She had high hopes for advancement in the company.

3. development toward increased understanding, quality, utility, or benefit to human welfare in a consequential area of knowledge, technology, or practice:

   She toiled in the lab out of personal ambition, not for the advancement of medical science.

4. an achievement or result contributing to progress in a consequential area of knowledge, technology, or practice:

   Advancements in robotics will transform industry.

5. Law. money or property given by one person during their lifetime to another that is considered an anticipation of an inheritance and is therefore to be deducted from any share that the recipient may have in a donor's estate.

advancement

/ ədˈvɑːnsmənt /

noun

1. promotion in rank, status, etc; preferment
2. a less common word for advance advance
3. property law the use during a testator's lifetime of money or property for the benefit of a child or other person who is a prospective beneficiary in the testator's will

Other Words From

• non·ad·vance·ment noun
• self-ad·vance·ment noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of advancement¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English avauncement, from Anglo-French, Old French avancement; advance, -ment

Example Sentences

His most recent work, published in The Plant Cell, used advancements in genomic research to fill in gaps of the original soybean reference genome.

From Science Daily

"This advancement can help refine weather forecasts and risk assessments, providing timely warnings and enhancing the resilience of coastal communities and infrastructure. "

From Science Daily

The meeting, Nov. 16-18, in Chicago, is a premier global exchange of the latest scientific advancements, research and evidence-based clinical practice updates in cardiovascular science.

From Science Daily

The advancement was proven to reduce the harmful effects of Staphylococcus epidermidis, a common bacterium known for causing hospital-acquired infections and contributing to antibiotic resistance.

From Science Daily

For example, the ideas of moral and intellectual advancement that Jefferson championed in the context of a so-called natural aristocracy were reinterpreted within a framework of collective advancement for all Black Americans.

From Salon

Related Words

• advance
• growth
• improvement
• upgrading