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Talking about personal growth, an existent product, a non-existent product (to be made).

In which case should I use one instead of the other?

edit: for example, for personal growth which one is better?

from dictionary:

improvement:

noun

  • an act of improving or the state of being improved.
  • a change or addition by which a thing is improved.
  • a person or thing that represents an advance on another in excellence or achievement: The new landlord is a great improvement over his greedy predecessor.
  • a bringing into a more valuable or desirable condition, as of land or real property; betterment.
  • something done or added to real property that increases its value.
  • profitable use, as of a period of time.

development:

noun

  • the act or process of developing; growth; progress: child development; economic development.

  • a significant consequence or event: recent developments in the field of science.

  • a developed or advanced state or form: Drama reached its highest development in the plays of Shakespeare.

  • Music . the part of a movement or composition in which a theme or themes are developed, or unfolded and elaborated, by various technical means, so as to reveal their inherent possibilities.

  • a large group of private houses or of apartment houses, often of similar design, constructed as a unified community, especially by a real-estate developer or government organization.

  • Chess . the act or process of developing chess pieces.

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  • Not really. I added more info to the original post. The contest is personal growth. Both the words seems good from the dictionary definition.
    – overkill22
    Commented Jan 24, 2019 at 7:50

3 Answers 3

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Improvement usually means that something is better, whereas development implies something new, usually neutral or good.

Improvement examples We have seen an improvement in your behaviour We believe these actions will lead to improvement

Development examples There's been a new development Let's talk about your development Your development is going well. (Note that you have to state how it's going, because development doesn't imply progress.) There's been a shocking development(Note that this is not positive!)

I hope that helps!

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  • Also both words can be used in relation to geographic areas, particularly urban ones, with very different meanings. For example "There's been a lot of development around here lately" would mean recent new building, this might make the area a better place to live or it might make it worse whereas "There's been a lot of improvement around here lately" might mean demolition and new building but is more likely to mean either refurbishment of existing buildings or even just cleaning and tidying the area and a reduction in anti-social behaviour.
    – BoldBen
    Commented Jan 23, 2019 at 10:48
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As nouns the difference between development and improvement is that development is (uncountable) the process of developing; growth, directed change while improvement is the act of improving]]; advancement or growth; [[promote|promotion in desirable qualities; progress toward what is better; melioration; as, the improvement of the mind, of land, roads, etc.

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  • If personal development is uncountable, isn't personal improvement also uncountable?
    – Zebrafish
    Commented Jan 24, 2019 at 8:02
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Improvement -> Existing thing that is in good position/condition as compared to their previous states

Development -> new thing took place in any existing or new condition/situation

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