verb (used with object)
to bring out the capabilities or possibilities of; bring to a more advanced or effective state: to develop natural resources; to develop one's musical talent.
to cause to grow or expand: to develop one's muscles.
to elaborate or expand in detail: to develop a theory.
to bring into being or activity; generate; evolve.
to cause to progress from an embryonic to an adult form.
Chess. to bring (a piece) into effective play, especially during the initial phase of a game when pieces are moved from their original position on the board: He developed his rook by castling.
verb (used without object)
to grow into a more mature or advanced state; advance; expand: She is developing into a good reporter.
to come gradually into existence or operation; be evolved.
to be disclosed; become evident or manifest: The plot of the novel developed slowly.
to undergo developing, as a photographic film.
to progress from an embryonic to an adult form.
to progress from earlier to later stages of ontogeny or phylogeny.
to reach sexual maturity.


developable, adjective
developability, noun
half-developed, adjective
hyperdeveloped, adjective
misdevelop, verb
nondevelopable, adjective
predevelop, verb
undevelopable, adjective
well-developed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
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World English Dictionary
develop (dɪˈvɛləp)
vb (often foll by from)
1.  to come or bring to a later or more advanced or expanded stage; grow or cause to grow gradually
2.  (tr) to elaborate or work out in detail
4.  to come or bring into existence; generate or be generated: he developed a new faith in God
6.  (tr) to contract (a disease or illness)
7.  (tr) to improve the value or change the use of (land), as by building
8.  (tr) to exploit or make available the natural resources of (a country or region)
9.  (tr) photog
 b.  to process (photographic material) in order to produce negatives and prints
10.  biology to progress or cause to progress from simple to complex stages in the growth of an individual or the evolution of a species
11.  (tr) to elaborate upon (a musical theme) by varying the melody, key, etc
12.  (tr) maths to expand (a function or expression) in the form of a series
13.  (tr) geometry to project or roll out (a surface) onto a plane without stretching or shrinking any element
14.  chess to bring (a piece) into play from its initial position on the back rank
15.  obsolete (tr) to disclose or reveal

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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Word Origin & History

1650s, "unroll, unfold," from Fr. developper, replacing English disvelop (1590s, from M.Fr. desveloper), both from O.Fr. desveloper, from des- "undo" + veloper "wrap up," of uncertain origin, possibly Celtic or Germanic. Modern figurative use is 18c. The photographic sense is from 1845; the real estate
sense is from 1890.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

develop de·vel·op (dĭ-věl'əp)
v. de·vel·oped, de·vel·op·ing, de·vel·ops



  3. To aid in the growth of; strengthen.


  5. To become affected with a disease; contract.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
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