The process whose specific outcome is the progression of the thymus over time, from its formation to the mature structure. The thymus is a symmetric bi-lobed organ involved primarily in the differentiation of immature to mature T cells, with unique vascular, nervous, epithelial, and lymphoid cell components. [ GOC:add https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=bn%3A0781735149 ]
Term information
Note that this term is reserved for annotation of gene products involved in the formation of the thymus itself, not for gene products involved in T cell differentiation in the thymus or elsewhere.