# development

Pronunciation: say "di-VEL-uhp-muhnt" /dɪˈvɛləpmənt/

## Noun

1. The process of growing or changing over time, especially toward a more advanced, complex, or mature form.
   - Simple: The process of growing or changing over time, often becoming more advanced or mature.
   - _The development of language in young children fascinates researchers._
   - _Economic development across the region accelerated after the new policy._
2. The application of new ideas and knowledge to solve practical problems, as distinct from basic research.
   - Simple: The work of turning new ideas into things that solve real problems.
   - _The firm's development team turned the lab findings into a working device._
   - _Years of development brought the prototype to market._
3. An event or change that comes about as the result of an ongoing process or situation.
   - Simple: A new event or change in a situation.
   - _A surprising development forced the team to rethink their strategy._
   - _Investigators welcomed the latest developments in the case._
4. The building of houses, offices or other structures on an area of land, or a group of new buildings put up in this way.
   - Simple: Building new houses, shops or offices on a piece of land, or a group of new buildings like this.
   - _The new waterfront development will include shops, offices, and apartments._
   - _Several large developments transformed the city's skyline._
5. The chemical processing of photographic film to bring out the images hidden within it.
   - Simple: The way film is treated with chemicals to make the hidden pictures show up.
   - _Film development requires precise control of temperature and timing._
   - _He ruined the photos by rushing the development._
6. In chess, the active placement of pieces, or the process of bringing them into effective positions.
   - Simple: In chess, moving your pieces into useful, active spots early in the game.
   - _White gained a clear lead in development by the tenth move._
   - _Neglecting development early often leads to a cramped position._
7. In music, the working out and transforming of themes heard earlier, especially in the middle section of a movement in sonata form.
   - Simple: In music, changing and building on a tune heard earlier, especially in the middle part of some classical pieces.
   - _The development reworks the first theme through a series of distant keys._
   - _Her string quartet shows real skill in thematic development, building a whole movement from a four-note figure._

## Other meanings

- (noun) In mathematics, the expression of a function as a series.

## Origin

First attested in 1756, it comes from French développement, which goes back to Old French desvelopemens meaning "unrolling." On the surface it is develop plus the suffix -ment.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/development (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).