developmental

adjective

de·​vel·​op·​men·​tal dē-ˌve-ləp-ˈmen-tᵊl 

1

a

: of, relating to, or being development

developmental processes

developmental biology

broadly : experimental sense 2

developmental aircraft

b

: serving economic development

developmental highways

2

: designed to assist growth or bring about improvement (as of a skill)

developmental toys

developmentally

dē-ˌve-ləp-ˈmen-tᵊl-ē 

adverb

Synonyms of developmental

• experimental
• investigative

Examples of developmental in a Sentence

A drop in temperature can slow the plant's developmental process.

a child with developmental abnormalities

My theory is still in its developmental stage.

Recent Examples on the Web

Those capabilities, though, lie farther (but presumably not too far) down Starship’s developmental timeline. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 26 Sep. 2026

Lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities and developmental delays. — Rebecca Smullin Dawson, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026

Both of these regions featured different chromatin — a mixture of DNA, RNA, and proteins that packages long DNA molecules — setting them on independent developmental paths. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 24 Sep. 2026

Children’s developmental screenings and assessments would not be required to be conducted in a family’s language of choice. — Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing developmental

• developmental biology
• developmental disability
• developmental disorder
• evolutionary developmental biology
• pervasive developmental disorder

Rhymes for developmental

• coincidental
• environmental
• experimental
• intersegmental
• nongovernmental
• transcontinental
• unsentimental
• accidental
• compartmental
• continental
• detrimental
• elemental

Kids Definition

developmental

adjective

de·​vel·​op·​men·​tal -ˌvel-əp-ˈment-əl 

: of or relating to development

developmentally

-əl-ē 

adverb