developmental period

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "developmental period" is correct and usable in written English.
It is often used to refer to a stage of growth or maturity where a person or thing is developing. For example: During the developmental period of early childhood, children go through many physical and cognitive changes.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

What follows is a key developmental period for the foetus.

The Guardian

The two defendants maintain that early adolescence is a distinct developmental period during which susceptibility to influence reaches its peak.

The New Yorker

In spite of a long developmental period, "True Home" is lacking in shape, coherence, theatrical zip and emotional pull.

The New York Times

The third quantitative trait (larval developmental period).

Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control

Developmental period: the period (days) from eggs to adults.

Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control

Adolescence is an important developmental period for understanding alcohol use.

Addictive Behaviors

For developmental period, despite its height and significant differences from Po to F12, this increase was not real and unimportant, because the developmental period increased, while the larval developmental period decreased.

Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control

As I explained above, in this case the developmental period discussed is for children under 3.

International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy

Fecundity, PPLI preying potential of 3rd larval instar, LdP larval developmental period.

Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control

Larval developmental period: the period (days) from hatching 1st larval instar to the pupation.

Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control

The selection was based on the quantitative trait (larval developmental period (LdP)).

Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In scientific writing, specify the exact phase (e.g. "postnatal", "larval" or "adolescent") to add precision to the term.

Common error

Avoid using "development period" when referring to biological or psychological growth. Use "developmental" (the adjective) for maturation and "development" (the noun) for commercial, economic or software contexts, such as an "app development period".

Linguistic Context

As a noun phrase, "developmental period" typically functions as the subject or the direct object within a sentence. According to Ludwig, it is frequently used to define a temporal boundary for biological observations or psychological transitions.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

70%

News & Media

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "developmental period" is an essential term in both the hard and soft sciences. Ludwig AI confirms its status as a grammatically correct and widely accepted noun phrase. It is most frequently found in academic and scientific literature where it describes the duration of maturation in organisms—ranging from larvae and plants to human adolescents. While it can be interchanged with "developmental stage", the word "period" specifically emphasizes the temporal duration and chronological limits of the phase. When writing, remember that this term is highly formal; it serves as a precise tool for professional communication in biology, psychology and education.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

developmental stage

Focuses on a specific step or level in a sequence rather than just the duration of time

developmental timeframe

Emphasizes the scheduling or expected duration of development

formative years

Specifically refers to early childhood and adolescence when character and habits are established

growth phase

Often used in biological or economic contexts to describe a period of rapid expansion

ontogenetic period

A technical biological term referring to the development of an individual organism from embryo to adult

critical period

Refers to a specific window when an organism is especially sensitive to environmental stimuli

maturation process

Emphasizes the progression toward a state of full functional maturity

gestation period

Specific to the timeframe of pregnancy and prenatal development

incubation phase

Used in creative or biological contexts for a period of hidden development

larval period

Used specifically in entomology or marine biology for the stage before metamorphosis

FAQs

What can I say instead of "developmental period"?

You can use alternatives like "<a href="/s/developmental+stage" target="_blank" rel="alternative">developmental stage", "<a href="/s/growth+phase" target="_blank" rel="alternative">growth phase" or "<a href="/s/formative+years" target="_blank" rel="alternative">formative years" depending on whether you are emphasizing time or progress.

How to use "developmental period" in a sentence?

A common way to use it is: "Adolescence is a critical "developmental period" for social and cognitive growth." Many examples in Ludwig show its use in biological research regarding animals and plants.

What is the difference between "developmental period" and "critical period"?

While a "developmental period" is any span of growth, a "<a href="/s/critical+period" target="_blank" rel="alternative">critical period" is a subset where specific experiences are necessary for normal development.

Is "developmental period" formal enough for a thesis?

Yes, it is the standard academic term. Ludwig examples show it frequently appearing in high-level journals like PlosOne and the Journal of Affective Disorders.