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Meaning & use

growth and development

phrase·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˌɡrəʊθ ən dɪˈvel.əp.mənt/
US/ˌɡroʊθ ən dɪˈvel.əp.mənt/

Meanings

  1. phraseuncountable

    the process of getting bigger and also improving or becoming more advanced

    Grammar: Used as a single idea; take a singular verb: Growth and development is important.

    Patterns

    • economic growth and development
    • child growth and development
    • growth and development of something

    The report examines the growth and development of the region's economy.

    Good nutrition supports healthy growth and development in children.

    The company's growth and development depended on careful planning.

  2. phraseuncountablebiology

    in biology, the increase in size of an organism and the changes it goes through as it matures

    Grammar: Often used in school and medical contexts about plants, animals, or humans.

    Patterns

    • plant growth and development
    • human growth and development
    • stages of growth and development

    The course covers plant growth and development from seed to flower.

    Hormones play a key role in human growth and development.

    Scientists study the growth and development of coral reefs.

Common combinations

economic growth and development
The government focused on economic growth and development.
child growth and development
Teachers study child growth and development.
sustainable growth and development
The plan aims for sustainable growth and development.
promote growth and development
Good policies can promote growth and development.

Synonyms and how they differ

expansion
Expansion mainly means becoming larger; it does not include the idea of improvement that development adds.
progress
Progress focuses on moving forward or improving, often without the idea of physical growth.
advancement
Advancement is more formal and often about careers or knowledge, not physical size.

Opposites

declinestagnation

Word family

grow verb
To become larger or greater.
develop verb
To change and become more advanced or mature.
developmental adjective
Relating to how something grows or develops.

Commonly confused: growth and development or growth and maturity?

growth and development vs growth and maturity

Maturity refers to being fully developed, while development is the process of getting there.

Practice

The textbook discusses the ___ of young children.

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