developed

The word “developed” means economically advanced and industrialized. In plain terms, advanced or fully grown, whether describing a country, a body, or an idea.

“Developed” is pronounced dih-VEH-luhpt (/dɪˈvɛləpt/ in IPA).

Here is “developed” used in a sentence: “Life expectancy is generally higher in developed countries.”

Words with a similar meaning to “developed” include advanced, first-world, industrialised and adult.

The opposite of “developed” — its antonyms — is undeveloped.

“Developed” is an adjective.

“Developed” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Developed” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: economically advanced and industrialized.

A developed country has an advanced, industrialized economy, high income per person, and strong infrastructure and services. A developing country is still building these, with lower average income and industrial output. The terms describe stages of economic progress rather than a country's culture or worth.

Economists look at signals such as high income per person, widespread industry and technology, reliable infrastructure, and strong health and education systems. Measures like gross domestic product per capita and the Human Development Index are commonly used. No single number decides it; it is an overall picture of economic advancement.

Commonly cited examples include the United States, Canada, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia. These nations share high average incomes, advanced industry and technology, and well-established public services. Classifications vary slightly between organisations, but such wealthy, industrialised economies are almost always counted as developed.