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develop

verb
di-VEL-uhp/dɪˈvɛl.əp/

Formsdevelops, developing, developed

12 meanings of develop

Practice

  1. 1
    evolveverbtransitive or intransitive
    To grow or change step by step, becoming bigger, more advanced, or more complete.

    Like a plant that grows from a seed to a sprout to a full flower.

    Children develop in stages, learning to crawl before they walk.

    The plot of the novel developed slowly across its first chapters.

    UsageUse into for what it becomes: a seed develops into a plant.

    Note
  2. 2
    createverbtransitive
    To make or create something new, like a product or a plan.

    The team developed a new app for the school.

    Engineers develop tools to solve everyday problems.

    Similarcreate, design, devise, produce, invent

  3. 3
    start havingverbtransitive
    To begin to have something, such as a quality or condition, usually gradually.

    Like slowly building up a stamp collection over many years.

    She developed a love of music as a child.

    Some people develop allergies later in life.

    UsageSay develop an interest in something or a taste for something.

    Similaracquire, gain, earn, form, establish

    Oppositelose

  4. 4
    verbtransitive
    To help something grow, improve, or move forward.

    Like a gardener watering a plant so it grows bigger and stronger.

    The program develops young athletes into professionals.

    She worked hard to develop her writing talent.

    Similarfoster, promote, nurture, strengthen

    Oppositehinder, stifle, stunt

  5. 5
    verbintransitive
    Of a problem, illness, storm, or situation: to start to exist, sometimes becoming worse or stronger.

    A big storm is developing over the ocean.

    Problems started to develop when the money ran out.

    Similarform, emerge, arise

    Oppositeweaken

  6. 6
    build on landverbtransitive
    To build houses or other buildings on land, or to get land ready for building.

    A company wants to develop the empty field behind our school and put fifty houses there.

    This part of town was developed after the new highway opened.

    UsageYou usually develop the land, not the house: you build houses on land.

    Similarbuild

  7. 7
    verbtransitive
    To add more detail to an idea or story so that it becomes fuller.

    Your essay has a good idea, but you need to develop it more.

    In the later chapters, the writer develops the story of the two sisters.

    Similarexpand, elaborate

    Note

Practice

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Origin

English took this from French développer, which came from an older French word meaning "to unwrap." The modern meaning came from an old idea that an egg holds a tiny animal that grows and sheds its wrappings.

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

  • English borrowed develop from French développer. en.wiktionary.org
  • French développer descends from an older French word meaning to unwrap. fr.wiktionary.org
  • The modern meaning arose from the belief that an egg contains a miniature animal that grows and sheds its coverings. en.wiktionary.org