developing
UK[dɪˈveləpɪŋ]US[dɪˈveləpɪŋ]
adj
In the process of growing, changing, or becoming more advanced.
adj
(of a country or region) Having a relatively low level of industrial and economic development; not yet industrialized.
Morpheme Breakdown
de
velop
ing
de
reversal/removal
velop
wrap, cover
ing
adjective suffix
Etymology
The word 'developing' originates from the verb 'develop', which entered English in the 17th century from the French 'développer'. The French term was built upon the prefix 'des-' (a variant of 'de-', meaning 'undoing') and 'envelopper' (to wrap up). Its core Latin ancestor is 'volvere', meaning 'to roll'. Thus, the literal sense of 'develop' was to 'unwrap' or 'unroll' something, making its contents visible. Over time, this concrete image of revealing what is hidden evolved into the abstract concept of bringing out latent potential, causing growth, or progressing through stages. The '-ing' suffix then transforms this process into an adjective describing something currently undergoing that very progression or growth.
Analysis
Structure: de (reversal/removal) + velop (wrap, cover) + ing (adjective suffix)
- de: A Latin prefix meaning "down from, off, away, reversal, removal."
- velop: A morpheme derived from the Old French 'veloper' (to wrap up), likely from the Latin 'volvere' (to roll). In English, it appears as a bound root in words like 'develop' and 'envelop'.
- ing: An English suffix forming present participles and adjectives from verbs, indicating an ongoing action or state.
Examples
The developing embryo is highly sensitive to environmental changes.
She showed me the developing photographs in the darkroom.
Many developing nations are investing heavily in renewable energy.