definition of
development

[1] #1 development n. act of improving by expanding or enlarging or refining; "he congratulated them on their development of a plan to meet the emergency"; "they funded research and development". wn

[2] #2 development n. [evolution] a process in which something passes by degrees to a different stage (especially a more advanced or mature stage); "the development of his ideas took many years"; "the evolution of Greek civilization"; "the slow development of her skill as a writer". wn

[3] #3 development n. [growth, growing, maturation, ontogeny, ontogenesis] (biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level; "he proposed an indicator of osseous development in children". wn

[4] #4 development n. a recent event that has some relevance for the present situation; "recent developments in Iraq"; "what a revolting development!". wn

[5] #5 development n. [exploitation] the act of making some area of land or water more profitable or productive or useful; "the development of Alaskan resources"; "the exploitation of copper deposits". wn