growth
growth — noun
1. the natural process by which a living thing becomes bigger, stronger, or more co
the natural process by which a living thing becomes bigger, stronger, or more complex as time passes
A balanced diet is essential for a child's healthy physical growth.
uncountable noun for the natural process
The gardener measured the growth of the tomato plants every week.
Sayaka's rapid growth during puberty surprised her parents.
The growth of the oak tree had been slowed by the dry soil.
Proper sleep supports brain growth in young children.
- development
broader term that can include mental, emotional, or structural change, not just size
- maturing
focuses on reaching an adult or complete stage; more biological in tone
用法筆記
This sense is uncountable and describes the ongoing process, not a finished result. Typical subjects include children, animals, plants, hair, nails, and brain tissue.
常見錯誤
2. a situation in which something becomes larger in quantity, scale, or significanc
a situation in which something becomes larger in quantity, scale, or significance — applied to areas such as company revenue, city population, or national economic activity
The city has seen rapid population growth over the past decade.
collocation: population growth / economic growth / sales growth
Lakshmi's company achieved strong sales growth in the Asian market.
Job growth in the technology sector has attracted many young graduates.
Environmentalists worry about the unchecked growth of urban areas.
A growth in demand for electric cars has pushed prices down.
用法筆記
Common in business, economics, and social science contexts. As a countable singular noun ('a growth in…') it emphasises a specific instance of increase rather than the general trend.
常見錯誤
3. an abnormal clump of biological tissue that develops inside or on a living organ
an abnormal clump of biological tissue that develops inside or on a living organism as the result of illness, and may be either non-cancerous or cancerous
The doctor found a small growth on Zola's lung during the scan.
medical context: growth on [body part]
Most skin growths are harmless, but some need to be removed.
countable plural: skin growths
Christopher's biopsy showed that the growth was not cancerous.
A growth in the throat can make it hard to swallow or speak.
The veterinarian removed a benign growth from the dog's ear.
用法筆記
When countable ('a growth' / 'growths'), it refers to a specific abnormal mass. When uncountable ('growth of tissue'), it refers to the process of abnormal cell proliferation. Medical professionals often specify 'benign' or 'malignant'.
常見錯誤
4. any plant matter, moss, or other natural covering that has appeared and spread o
any plant matter, moss, or other natural covering that has appeared and spread on a surface, such as ivy on a wall or new shoots on a bush after rain
A thick green growth of moss covered the old stone wall.
pattern: a [adjective] growth of [plant type]
The gardener cleared the unwanted growth from the flower beds before planting new seeds.
New growth appeared on the branches after the spring rains.
The wooden fence was hidden behind a dense growth of ivy.
Adaeze trimmed the young growth on the rose bushes to shape them.
- vegetation
broader, more formal term for plant life in general
- foliage
refers specifically to leaves; more literary in tone
用法筆記
Describes visible plant matter that has already grown, as opposed to the process of growing (sense 1). Often modified by adjectives such as 'new', 'dense', 'thick', or 'unwanted'.