developmental

adjective

de·​vel·​op·​men·​tal dē-ˌve-ləp-ˈmen-tᵊl How to pronounce developmental (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, or being development
developmental processes
developmental biology
broadly : experimental sense 2
developmental aircraft
b
: serving economic development
developmental highways
2
: designed to assist growth or bring about improvement (as of a skill)
developmental toys
developmentally adverb

Examples of developmental in a Sentence

A drop in temperature can slow the plant's developmental process. a child with developmental abnormalities My theory is still in its developmental stage.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The team already took a developmental pass-rusher in the first round last year, so the pick could be used more wisely in 2025. Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025 As developmental psychologist Robert Kegan shows in his research on adult development and organizational complexity, leaders sometimes conflate decisiveness with speed. Michael Hudson, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025 Among those are $500,000 for electric buses in Rwanda, $750,000 for reducing xenophobia in Venezuela, and $3 million for a children’s developmental television program in Iraq. Brett Samuels, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2025 With little to play for, Sunday’s regular-season finale represented a rare opportunity for a pair of Heat developmental players to log extended minutes. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for developmental

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of developmental was in 1830

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Cite this Entry

“Developmental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/developmental. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

developmental

adjective
de·​vel·​op·​men·​tal -ˌvel-əp-ˈment-əl How to pronounce developmental (audio)
: of or relating to development
developmentally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on developmental

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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