developmental

developmental — adjective

1. relating to the process by which a person, living thing, or system grows, change

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

relating to the process by which a person, living thing, or system grows, changes, or improves through a series of stages over time

Example

The doctor checks developmental milestones during every baby health visit.

collocation: developmental milestones

Developmental psychology helps us understand how children learn to speak.

subject area: developmental psychology

Common collocations
  • developmental stage
  • developmental delay
  • developmental milestone
  • developmental phase
  • developmental process
  • developmental psychology
  • developmental biology
  • developmental disorder
Synonyms
  • formative

    more restricted — usually describes early stages of growth that shape later outcomes; less common for systems or projects

  • progressive

    focuses on gradual, step-by-step change over time; does not always imply growth or improvement

  • growing

    simpler and more concrete; describes something currently increasing rather than the general process of development

Antonyms
  • degenerative

    describes a process of decline or getting worse over time, opposite of growth

Grammar Patterns

developmental + noun

Usage Note

Almost always used before a noun (attributive position). Common in academic and professional fields such as psychology, biology, education, and medicine.

Common Mistakes

Taiwan is a developmental country with a growing economy.
Taiwan is a developing country with a growing economy.
'developmental' describes the process or study of development; 'developing' means currently growing or improving.
The child has a developmental problem with her leg.
The child has a development problem with her leg.' or 'The child has a developmental delay in walking.
'developmental' usually describes growth processes or milestones, not physical body parts.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All three words relate to change over time, but 'developmental' is the broadest — it covers the entire growth process of living things, systems, or projects. 'Formative' focuses on early stages that shape later outcomes (e.g., formative years, formative experiences). 'Progressive' describes gradual, step-by-step change but does not always mean improvement — a disease can be progressive. 'Growing' is simpler and more concrete, describing something that is currently increasing in size or amount. For a researcher studying child development, 'developmental psychology' is the correct term; 'formative psychology' or 'progressive psychology' would not fit.

formative ↗progressive ↗growing ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

Formed from the noun 'development' plus the adjective suffix '-al' (meaning 'relating to'). 'Development' entered English from French 'développement', from the verb 'développer' (to unwrap, unfold), which combined 'des-' (un-) with 'veloper' (to wrap). The word has been used in English since the 18th century and took on its modern range of meanings in the 19th century.