# development

/dɪˈvɛɫəpmənt/ (US) · /dɪvˈɛləpmənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/development
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. growth and progress

noun · CEFR B1

the process of growing, changing, or becoming more advanced.

For teachers: the systematic process of growth, advancement, or evolution through successive stages.

- The city has seen rapid economic development over the last ten years.
- Sustainable development requires a delicate balance between industrial expansion and the preservation of natural resources for future generations.

### 2. a new event

noun · CEFR B2

a new situation or event that changes how things are going.

For teachers: a significant new event, occurrence, or change in a situation.

- There have been some exciting new developments in the police investigation.
- The latest developments in the peace talks suggest that both parties are finally willing to make significant concessions.

### 3. real estate project

noun · CEFR B1

an area of land with new buildings or houses on it.

For teachers: a tract of land that has been built upon, specifically a residential or commercial complex.

- They are building a new housing development near the park.
- The luxury development features twenty-four detached villas, each designed to maximise the panoramic views of the coastline.

### 4. creating new products

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

the work of making new ideas into real products or services.

For teachers: the practical application of research and new ideas to create or improve products and processes.

- She works in software development for a large tech company.
- The company invested millions into the research and development of more efficient battery technologies for electric vehicles.

### 5. biological growth

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the way a living thing grows and changes from a simple to a complex form.

For teachers: the process by which a multicellular organism or part of an organism is produced through cell addition and differentiation.

- The doctor monitored the baby's physical development during the first year.
- The study examines the embryonic development of certain amphibians to understand how environmental toxins affect cellular growth.

### 6. photography

noun · CEFR B2

the chemical process used to make images appear on photographic film.

For teachers: the chemical processing of photographic film or paper to render latent images visible.

- The development of the film took about an hour in the darkroom.
- Traditional film development requires precise temperature control of the chemical baths to ensure consistent contrast and grain structure.

### 7. music

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Formal

the middle part of a piece of music where the main tunes are changed and played with.

For teachers: the central section of a movement in sonata form where thematic material is transformed and restated in various keys.

- The development section of the symphony was very dramatic and loud.
- In the development, the composer fragments the primary theme, weaving it through a series of rapid harmonic shifts before the final recapitulation.

## Examples

- The child's physical development is very healthy.
- The police provided a briefing on the latest development in the ongoing investigation.
- Sustainable urban development requires a careful balance between expanding infrastructure and preserving the natural ecosystems that support the local community.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.