development

[ dih-vel-uhp-muhnt ]

noun

1. the act or process of developing; growth; progress:

   child development; economic development.

   Synonyms: maturation, opening, evolution, growth, elaboration, expansion

   Antonyms: disintegration, deterioration

2. a significant consequence or event:

   recent developments in the field of science.

3. a developed or advanced state or form:

   Drama reached its highest development in the plays of Shakespeare.

   Synonyms: ripeness, maturity

4. Music. the part of a movement or composition in which a theme or themes are developed, or unfolded and elaborated, by various technical means, so as to reveal their inherent possibilities.
5. a large group of private houses or of apartment houses, often of similar design, constructed as a unified community, especially by a real-estate developer or government organization.

   Synonyms: subdivision, community

6. Chess. the act or process of developing chess pieces.
7. Mining. the work of digging openings, as tunnels, raises, and winzes, to give access to new workings, and of erecting necessary structures.

development

/ dɪˈvɛləpmənt /

noun

1. the act or process of growing, progressing, or developing
2. the product or result of developing
3. a fact, event, or happening, esp one that changes a situation
4. an area or tract of land that has been developed
5. Also calleddevelopment section the section of a movement, usually in sonata form, in which the basic musical themes are developed
6. chess
   1. the process of developing pieces
   2. the manner in which they are developed
   3. the position of the pieces in the early part of a game with reference to their attacking potential or defensive efficiency

Derived Forms

• deˌvelopˈmental, adjective
• deˌvelopˈmentally, adverb

Other Words From

• de·velop·mental de·velop·menta·ry adjective
• de·velop·mental·ly adverb
• anti·de·velop·ment adjective
• hyper·de·velop·ment noun
• hyper·de·velop·mental adjective
• nonde·velop·ment noun
• nonde·velop·mental adjective
• nonde·velop·mental·ly adverb
• postde·velop·mental adjective
• prede·velop·ment noun
• self-de·velop·ment noun
• subde·velop·ment noun
• super·de·velop·ment noun
• unde·velop·ment noun
• unde·velop·mental adjective
• unde·velop·mental·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of development¹

First recorded in 1745–55; develop + -ment, or from French développement

Example Sentences

Alisha Dingus, the development director at the DC Abortion Fund, told Salon the effects over the last two years will take decades to overcome.

From Salon

“CAF has spent all year growing our development capacity and sounding the alarm of the abortion access current crisis, and specifically the funding crisis,” Qudsiyyah Shariyf, the interim executive director of the Chicago Abortion Fund, told Salon.

From Salon

It can cause cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, while research shows it can also delay development in young children.

From BBC

Folic acid is particularly important in early pregnancy, aiding proper development of the baby's brain, skull and spinal cord.

From BBC

As the second anniversary of Miss Edwards's death approaches, Mr Edwards said this development made it even tougher to deal with.

From BBC

Related Words

• advancement
• evolution
• expansion
• improvement
• increase
• progress