underdeveloped form
[/ˌʌndərdɪˈveləpt fɔːrm/]
noun phrasepl: underdeveloped forms
forma subdesenvolvida
1. A version or stage of something that has not reached full maturity, completion, or sophistication; an incomplete or primitive state of development
The larva is an underdeveloped form of the insect that will eventually mature into an adult.
A larva é uma forma subdesenvolvida do inseto que eventualmente amadurecerá até se tornar um adulto.
2. In biology, an organism or structure that has not fully evolved or differentiated from its ancestral state
The fossil showed an underdeveloped form of the wing structure seen in modern birds.
O fóssil mostrava uma forma subdesenvolvida da estrutura alar vista em pássaros modernos.
3. In general usage, any preliminary or nascent version of a concept, technology, or idea
The software was still in an underdeveloped form and required significant improvements.
O software ainda estava em uma forma subdesenvolvida e exigia melhorias significativas.
This term is commonly used in scientific, educational, and technical contexts in both Brazilian Portuguese and American English. In Brazil, it's frequently encountered in biology textbooks and academic discussions. The phrase reflects the value placed on development and progress in both cultures, often used to describe things that are expected to improve or mature over time.
Related Idioms & Phrases
in its underdeveloped form (no seu estado primitivo/inicial)
still in underdeveloped form (ainda em forma preliminar)
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