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discovery

discovery

331 1.0
Finding or learning something new that was not known before
  • noun
  • /dɪsˈkʌvəri/
translation icon : descubrimiento
  • Her discovery of the hidden cave surprised all the explorers in the team.
  • make a discovery
  • process of discovery
  • lead to discovery

It was just like they touched in a moment of discovery and beauty.

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Examples

  • See, this all happened because my kids are on a journey of discovery.

  • So the pleasure lies in the gradual discovery of the story within the story.

  • And if we're not alone, then what discovery could possibly be more important?

  • My father missed his chance, and I made the discovery for him long after his death.

    Academic text (1999)
  • OK, So that was a remarkable discovery on his part.

  • And through that came discovery of the basic building blocks of matter.

  • You know, I recently made a discovery, and I'm not sure what to do.

  • I have made a great discovery, and I present it with a spectacular demonstration.

  • Since World War II, all the really important discoveries have come out of private laboratories.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • I set out to make an incredible discovery to share with Trevor and the world.

Synonyms

finding
vsdiscovery
330 3.4

A fact or result found by research

is the overall process of learning rather than a single factual result
breakthrough
vsdiscovery
242 3.9

A sudden important discovery or advance that solves a big problem

is the general process of learning rather than solving a problem or barrier
revelation
vsdiscovery
175 5.0

A surprising fact that people did not know before

is the general process of learning rather than a surprising announcement
find
vsdiscovery
94 5.8

An object discovered that is interesting or valuable

is the broader process of learning rather than a lone object or fact
uncovering
vsdiscovery
3.2

Finding and showing something that was hidden

is a broader process of learning or noticing rather than only revealing
trouvaille
vsdiscovery
9.9

A lucky unexpected discovery of something valuable or interesting

is the general process of learning rather than a chance lucky event

Antonyms

316 3.9

Not knowing about something or how it works

Compounds

Finding out who you are, your feelings, and why you do things

Discovery Day
  • Canadian
1 4.2

A public holiday that remembers Christopher Columbus finding the Americas

How Significant

landmark
16 4.4
breakthrough
242 3.9
discovery
331 1.0
revelation
175 5.0
finding
330 3.4

Surface Forms

discovery singular
discoveries plural

Morphology

discovery = discover (semi-transparent) = dis + cover + y

This is a standard noun formation from the verb 'discover' meaning the act or process of discovering.

Etymology

Discovery comes from old parts that mean 'take the cover off'; the part dis- means 'do the opposite' and the cover part is the same as the English word cover, meaning 'to hide'. So, a discovery is the act of uncovering something and learning it for the first time.