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the act or process of ; growth; progress:
child development; economic development.
a significant consequence or event:
recent developments in the field of science.
a or advanced state or form:
Drama reached its highest development in the plays of Shakespeare.
Music. the part of a movement or composition in which a theme or themes are developed, or unfolded and elaborated, by various technical means, so as to reveal their inherent possibilities.
a large group of private houses or of apartment houses, often of similar design, constructed as a unified community, especially by a real-estate or government organization.
Chess. the act or process of developing chess pieces.
Mining. the work of digging openings, as tunnels, raises, and winzes, to give access to new workings, and of erecting necessary structures.
Contemporary Examples

While the industry is up in arms over the development, Lords views it as a necessary evil.
Traci Lords on ‘Excision’ and Her Porn Past Marlow Stern January 26, 2012

“I think that he is relatively unaware of the relevant research, especially the development research,” he said.
People Are Born with Religious Belief Argues New Book Jesse Singal March 27, 2012

Currently, there are three new drugs in clinical trials and an additional ten programs are in the early stages of development.
‘Bucket List’ Baby Avery Canahuati: Facts About Spinal Muscular Atrophy Andrew Carter May 2, 2012

Fundamentally, we should be asking for governments to spend 0.2 percent of GDP on research and development into green energy.
The Ridiculous Global-Warming Freakout Tunku Varadarajan November 15, 2010

It has had significant influence on the founding and development of the United States of America.
Governor Brewer Throws Arizona Base a Bone by Signing Bible Law Terry Greene Sterling April 18, 2012

Historical Examples

This is the development of Jewish poetry during its great period.
Jewish Literature and Other Essays Gustav Karpeles

The development of living ideals is not in an atmosphere of cynicism.
The Call of the Twentieth Century David Starr Jordan

In development and conditions they rank with the immigrant from northwestern Europe.
Bohemia under Hapsburg Misrule Various

He has been pre-eminent in the establishment and development of institutions.
The Bay State Monthly, Vol. 1, Issue 1. Various

A study of its structure, development, bionomics, and economy.
Handbook of Medical Entomology William Albert Riley

noun
the act or process of growing, progressing, or developing
the product or result of developing
a fact, event, or happening, esp one that changes a situation
an area or tract of land that has been developed
Also called development section. the section of a movement, usually in sonata form, in which the basic musical themes are developed
(chess)

the process of developing pieces
the manner in which they are developed
the position of the pieces in the early part of a game with reference to their attacking potential or defensive efficiency

n.

1756, “an unfolding;” see develop + -ment. Of property, with the sense “bringing out the latent possibilities,” from 1885 (Pickering’s glossary of Americanisms, 1816, has betterments “The improvements made on new lands, by cultivation, and the erection of buildings, &c.”). Meaning “state of economic advancement” is from 1902. Meaning “advancement through progressive stages” is 1836.

development de·vel·op·ment (dĭ-věl’əp-mənt)
n.

The act of developing.

The state of being developed.

A significant event, occurrence, or change.

The natural progression from a previous, simpler, or embryonic stage to a later, more complex, or adult stage.

de·vel’op·men’tal (-měn’tl) adj.

The process of analysis, design, coding and testing software.