Growth vs Development
Although growth and development might seem to have the same meaning, they are two distinct words in the English language and should be used correctly in the right context. Growth refers to a process of becoming larger, longer, more numerous, or more important, mostly a physical change. On the other hand, development is a process in which something transforms (mostly positively) into a different stage or improves, which could be physical, social, or psychological. There is a significant difference in the way growth and development can be applied.
Understanding Growth
Growth refers to an increase in the size of an object or a living being. For example, “The lump has grown in size.” Growth describes the process of growing and can indicate an increase in value, such as “There was a rapid growth in the economy of the country.” It can also mean an increase in a crop or yield of some fruit, like “The farmer was amazed by the tremendous growth of grapes.”
The term “full growth” is used to express a sense of maturity, such as “The investment reached full growth.” Furthermore, any industry can be referred to as a “growth industry” if it is developing rapidly, and a “growth stock” is one that tends to increase in capital value. This particular usage is often found in the stock market arena.
Understanding Development
Development signifies an improvement in the level of functioning. For example, “He developed into a nice officer.” It can also mean a kind of improvement in the condition of health, such as “He developed a better pulse rate now.”
The term “development” is used to convey the sense of the act of developing or the “process of being developed.” In fact, it is used to convey the idea of “a stage of growth.” In short, growth can be considered a subset of development. An example of this is, “The lump developed into a tumor due to an increase in its growth.”
Development can also mean the process of gradual transformation, such as the “process of developing a photograph.” A full-grown state or land is an instance of development, like “a developed piece of agricultural land” or “a developed area of land.” A “development area” is one where new industries are encouraged to provide employment for people in an effort to boost the economy.
Key Takeaways
- Growth refers to a process of becoming larger, longer, more numerous, or more important, mostly a physical change; development is a process in which something transforms (mostly positively) into a different stage or improves, which could be physical, social, or psychological.
- Growth is taken to mean an increase in the size of an object or a living being, while development is taken to mean an improvement in the level of functioning.
- Growth describes the process of growing and can indicate an increase in value or crop yield; development can mean a kind of improvement in health or a process of gradual transformation.
