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Glite Dictionary
highly developed

highly developed

4 3.9
A country or society with advanced industry, economy, and technology
  • adjective
  • /ˈhaɪli dɪˈvɛləpt/
translation icon : altamente desarrollado
  • In other words, these Irish settled in a highly developed society in which they were definitely a minority.
  • the most highly developed
  • highly developed society
  • highly developed system

Examples

  • While the literature on organic religion is now highly developed, that on programmatic religion is much less so.

    Academic text (2002)

  • Interestingly, this relationship is found only among the more highly developed and older societies of Latin America.

    Academic text (1995)

  • Clearly, citizens of the future will require a highly developed understanding of the costs and benefits associated with international trade.

    Academic text (1992)

  • I would say that in a lot of the Latin American nations, a number have very highly developed legal systems.

    Academic text (2000)

  • Japan is much more highly developed than Russia, enjoying particular strength.

    Academic text (2001)

  • Unfortunately, each of these approaches appears to be inadequate even in highly developed nations.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Responsible Care and ISO 14001 grew out of large businesses where management skills are highly developed.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Air defense systems are sophisticated, hi-tech arrangements only possessed by advanced and highly developed societies.

    Academic text (2015)

  • The Italians' understanding of Pentecostal theology was not highly developed, nor, prior to 1927, codified in any formal sense.

    Academic text (2000)

  • Many technological innovations are created in highly developed countries, where research and funding are abundant.

Synonyms

advanced
vshighly developed
379 4.0

At a very high level of skill, knowledge, or development

focuses on a country's industry, economy, and technology rather than general progress
sophisticated
vshighly developed
279 6.8

A machine or system with many advanced parts and careful design

applies to broad national progress rather than complexity or refinement alone
high-tech
vshighly developed
226 3.9

Using very new electronic and computer equipment

covers whole society industrial and economic progress, not only high-end technology
industrialized
vshighly developed
20 4.0

A country or area with many factories that make goods

includes wider economic and technological advancement beyond industry alone
developed
vshighly developed
14 2.7

A country with a strong industry and a high standard of living

stresses advanced technology as well as industry and economy

Antonyms

primitive
183 5.1

From an early stage of development that is simple and not advanced

underdeveloped
7 5.0

A country or region with little industry, poor infrastructure, and low income

How Developed

highly developed
4 3.9
developed
14 2.7
undeveloped
11 4.1

Surface Forms

highly developed positive

Morphology

highly + developed

The meaning is directly and transparently derived from combining 'highly' (extremely/to a great extent) with 'developed' (advanced); 'highly' functions as an intensifier of the adjective 'developed', so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the phrase refers to something very advanced. This is a common, regular adjectival collocation found across languages and follows standard composition patterns, making it immediately comprehensible.

Etymology

Highly developed gives a simple image: highly means 'very' and developed means 'grown' or 'built' with many parts. So imagine a place with many schools, factories, and modern technology. That's why highly developed describes a society or country with advanced industry, economy, and technology.