discovery

American  

[dih-skuhv-uh-ree] / dɪˈskʌv ə ri /

noun

plural

discoveries

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.

3. 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.

4. U.S. Aerospace. none Discovery the third space shuttle to orbit and return to earth.

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discovery British  

/ dɪˈskʌvərɪ /

noun

1. the act, process, or an instance of discovering

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

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

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Usage

What does discovery mean? A discovery is something that has been discovered—found or found out about for the first time.Discovery can also mean the process of discovering.Discoveries involve finding or gaining knowledge about something that was previously unknown or unseen. The word is especially associated with finding new places (as in the discovery of new lands) and scientific breakthroughs (as in the discovery of a cure).The word discovery is also used in a much more specific way in the context of law, in which it refers to the required disclosure of things like documents to the other party during a legal proceeding, as in These invoices were produced by client during discovery.Example: Ancient Oceanic peoples discovered new methods of seafaring that allowed their discovery and settlement of faraway islands.

Other Word Forms

• nondiscovery noun
• prediscovery noun
• rediscovery noun
• self-discovery noun

Etymology

Origin of discovery

First recorded in 1545–55; discover + -y ³

Example Sentences

This discovery marks the first new dinosaur species identified in South Korea in 15 years.

From Science Daily

The team's discovery may help explain why certain cancer cells move so aggressively.

From Science Daily

This is an important discovery because it shows that key chemical ingredients can survive even when exposed to water-related changes.

From Science Daily

The companies have their own labs, but the difficulty and riskiness of drug discovery has sent companies looking for help outside their walls, too.

From The Wall Street Journal

“AI is driving productivity gains, accelerating scientific discovery, and expanding what people and organizations can build,” OpenAI said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• analysis
• detection
• diagnosis
• disclosure
• encounter
• exploration
• introduction
• revelation
• sighting