The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Discovery \Dis*cov"er*y\, n.; pl. Discoveries.
   1. The action of discovering; exposure to view; laying open;
      showing; as, the discovery of a plot.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A making known; revelation; disclosure; as, a bankrupt is
      bound to make a full discovery of his assets.
      [1913 Webster]

            In the clear discoveries of the next [world].
                                                  --South.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Finding out or ascertaining something previously unknown
      or unrecognized; as, Harvey's discovery of the circulation
      of the blood.
      [1913 Webster]

            A brilliant career of discovery and conquest.
                                                  --Prescott.
      [1913 Webster]

            We speak of the "invention" of printing, the
            discovery of America.                 --Trench.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. That which is discovered; a thing found out, or for the
      first time ascertained or recognized; as, the properties
      of the magnet were an important discovery.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. Exploration; examination. [Obs.]
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

discovery
    n 1: the act of discovering something [syn: discovery, find,
         uncovering]
    2: something that is discovered
    3: a productive insight [syn: discovery, breakthrough,
       find]
    4: (law) compulsory pretrial disclosure of documents relevant to
       a case; enables one side in a litigation to elicit
       information from the other side concerning the facts in the
       case