development

noun

de·​vel·​op·​ment di-ˈve-ləp-mənt 

dē-

1

: the act, process, or result of developing

the development of new ideas

an interesting development in the case

2

: the state of being developed

a project in development

3

: a tract of land that has been made available or usable : a developed tract of land

especially : one with houses built on it

Synonyms of development

• evolution
• progress
• expansion
• progression
• growth

Examples of development in a Sentence

Good nutrition is important for proper muscle development.

The company offers many opportunities for professional development.

The software is still in the early stages of development.

I try to keep up with the latest developments in computer technology.

Have there been any new developments in the case?

Recent Examples on the Web

The River Market Hotel’s development team includes Gino and Paetra Serra; Mike and Susan Heitmann; and Orcun Turkay, vice president of food and beverage at Crestline Hotels and Resorts. — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 14 Nov. 2026

Mediterranean fast-casual chain Spitz is coming to Meridian’s Century Farm development in 2027, bringing döner wraps, gyros and bowls. — Michael Deeds. Produced With Ai Assistance, Idaho Statesman, 14 Nov. 2026

Not every meme about Huang was necessarily created using Nvidia chips, but the company's hardware has played a foundational role in the development and widespread adoption of generative AI. — Steve Mollman, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2026

The perpetrators target victims in the cryptocurrency and web3 industries, as well as individuals involved in the development and maintenance of open-source software. — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 14 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see develop

First Known Use

1724, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing development

• housing development
• hyper-development
• in development
• pre-development
• research and development
• ribbon development
• self-development
• sub-development

Rhymes for development

• envelopment
• redevelopment
• underdevelopment

Kids Definition

development

noun

de·​vel·​op·​ment di-ˈvel-əp-mənt 

1

: the act, process, or result of developing

2

: the state of being developed

3

: a developed piece of land

especially : one that has houses built on it

Medical Definition

development

noun

de·​vel·​op·​ment di-ˈvel-əp-mənt 

1

: the action or process of developing: as

a

: the process of growth and differentiation by which the potentialities of a zygote, spore, or embryo are realized

b

: the gradual advance through evolutionary stages : evolution

2

: the state of being developed

the great muscular development of weight lifters

developmental

-ˌvel-əp-ˈment-ᵊl 

adjective

developmentally

-ē 

adverb