developmental

adjective

de·​vel·​op·​men·​tal dē-ˌve-ləp-ˈmen-tᵊl How to pronounce developmental (audio)
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 adverb

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Lead ingestion in children is linked to irreversible health impacts, including developmental delays and neurological damage, as outlined by federal health guidelines. MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025 James, who seems quite ready to make a developmental leap this year. Chris Branch, New York Times, 11 July 2025 Third, make bystander training a critical element of developmental opportunities for all employees, and encourage everyone to advocate for themselves and others. Susan Madsen, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025 The authors hope to continue to investigate how other developmental genes across other sea spider species may have appeared or disappeared throughout their life history, per Earth.com, potentially affecting their abdomens. Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for developmental

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of developmental was in 1830

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Developmental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/developmental. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

developmental

adjective
de·​vel·​op·​men·​tal -ˌvel-əp-ˈment-əl How to pronounce developmental (audio)
: of or relating to development
developmentally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on developmental

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