Develop Definition

dĭ-vĕləp
developed, developing, develops
verb
developed, developing, develops
To bring from latency to or toward fulfillment.
An instructor who develops the capabilities of each student.
American Heritage
To expand or enlarge.
Developed a national corporation into a worldwide business.
American Heritage
To become larger, fuller, better, etc.; grow or evolve, esp. by natural processes.
Webster's New World
To make stronger or more effective; strengthen (muscles)
Webster's New World
To bring (something latent or hypothetical) into activity or reality.
Webster's New World

Origin of Develop

  • From French développer from Middle French desveloper, from Old French desveloper, from des- + voloper, veloper, vloper (“to wrap, wrap up”) (compare Italian -viluppare, Old Italian alternate form goluppare (“to wrap”)) from Vulgar Latin base *vlopp-, wlopp- "to wrap" ult. from Proto-Germanic *wrappan-, *wlappan- (“to wrap, roll up, turn, wind”), from Proto-Indo-European *werb- (“to turn, bend”) . Akin to Middle English wlappen (“to wrap, fold”) (Modern English lap "to wrap, involve, fold"), Middle English wrappen (“to wrap”), Middle Dutch lappen (“to wrap up, embrace”), Danish dialectal vravle (“to wind, twist”), Middle Low German wrempen (“to wrinkle, scrunch, distort”), Old English wearp (“warp”). The word acquired its modern meaning from the 17th century belief that an egg contains the animal in miniature and matures by growing larger and shedding its envelopes.

    From Wiktionary

  • French développer from Old French desveloper des- dis- voloper to wrap (possibly of Celtic origin)

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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