noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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CMU ARPABET:AH2 N D ER0 D AH0 V EH1 L AH0 P M AH0 N T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The condition of being underdeveloped.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
(photography) inadequate processing of film resulting in inadequate contrast
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: development, developing
3
noun
Meaning 3
state of inadequate development
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
much poverty can be traced to the underdevelopment of industry
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: development
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h1én Proto-Indo-European *h1entér Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dhí Proto-Indo-European *-ér Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dhér Proto-Germanic *under Proto-West Germanic *undar Old English under- Middle English under- English under- English development English underdevelopment From under- + development.
Across languages
Translations
16 source translations are retained for this English entry.