growthnoun
uk/ɡrəʊθ/us/ɡroʊθ/B2 [ U ] The growth of a person, animal, or plant is its process of increasing in size:
A balanced diet is essential for healthy growth.
Plant growth is most noticeable in spring and early summer.
B2 [ U ] an increase in the size or the importance of something:
The government is trying to limit population growth.
The rapid growth of opposition to the plan has surprised the mayor.
Electronic publishing is a growth area (= an area of activity that is increasing in size and developing quickly).
[ C ] a lump (= a solid mass) growing on the outside or inside of a person, animal, or plant that is caused by a disease:
a cancerous growth on the liver
[ C or U ] something that has grown:
Graham came back from the camping trip with a week's growth of beard on his chin.
More examples
- The report looks at economic growth in Europe and elsewhere.
- The company has shown exceptional growth over the past two years.
- Some types of antibiotic are used to promote growth in farm animals.
- Any growth in unemployment is self-evidently a matter of extreme seriousness.
- Measures should be taken to halt the speed-up in population growth.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Becoming bigger
- accrue
- augment
- billow
- bloat
- broaden
- bump
- engorged
- enlarge
- enlargement
- expansion
- extend
- extension
- oak
- puff up
- regenerate
- scalability
- scalable
- scaleable
- shoot
- stretch
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Swellings & lumps
Hair