Growth
Physical development, economic expansion, or population increase β not always good.
How We Say It
grohth
Where It Comes From
Old Norse grΕthr β growth. From Proto-Germanic roots related to growing, greening. Originally biological β plants growing β before becoming the primary metric of economic health in the 20th century.
How It's Been Used
GDP growth became the dominant measure of national success after World War II. Critics argue this conflates economic activity with wellbeing β a growing economy can coexist with falling life expectancy, rising inequality, and environmental destruction. Alternative metrics (happiness index, human development index) challenge the growth assumption.