Development meaning

dĭ-vĕl'əp-mənt
Development is defined as the process of growth or new information or an event.

An example of development is the changing of a caterpillar to a butterfly.

An example of development is emerging details about a local robbery.

An example of development is a community of condos intended for seniors.

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The act of developing or the state of being developed, as:
  • The application of techniques or technology to the production of new goods or services.
  • The business of constructing buildings or otherwise altering land for new uses.
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A group of dwellings built by the same contractor.

Bought a condo in a new development built by the river.

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The natural progression from a previous, simpler, or embryonic stage to a later, more complex, or adult stage.
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A step or stage in growth, advancement, etc.
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(uncountable) The process of developing; growth, directed change.

The development of this story has been slow.

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A significant event, occurrence, or change.
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A thing that is developed; specif., a number of structures on a large tract of land, built by a real-estate developer.
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The act of developing.
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The state of being developed.
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The organized activity of soliciting donations or grants; fundraising.
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(uncountable, biology) The process by which a mature multicellular organism or part of an organism is produced by the addition of new cells.

The organism has reached a crucial stage in its development.

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(real estate, countable) A project consisting of one or more commercial or residential buildings, real estate development.
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(uncountable) The application of new ideas to practical problems (cf. research).

Our development department has produced three new adhesives this year.

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(chess, uncountable) The active placement of the pieces, or the process of achieving it.

White's development is good, but black's has been hampered by the pawn on e5.

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(music) The second section of a piece of music in sonata form.
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A developing or being developed.
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(real estate, uncountable) The building of a real estate development.
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A significant event, occurrence, or change.

A news story covering the latest developments in the scandal.

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An event or happening.
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(countable) Something which has developed.

Our news team brings you the latest developments.

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Origin of development

  • First use 1756, as develop +‎ -ment, from French développement, from Old French desvelopemens (“unrolling”).
    From Wiktionary

Development Sentence Examples

  • But three years later a new economic development began.

  • "There's enough rock here to build a housing development," she commented as they worked their way across a jumble of flat red rocks.

  • The rapid development of Helen's mind is beautiful to watch.

  • These substances were regarded as being in some sense alive, and taking some active part in the development of being.

  • Learning a new language has proven to be very beneficial to cognitive development.

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Words near development in the Dictionary