evolution
noun OPAL W
/ˌiːvəˈluːʃn/, /ˌevəˈluːʃn/
/ˌevəˈluːʃn/
- [uncountable] (biology) the slow steady development of plants, animals, etc. during the history of the earth, as they adapt to changes in their environment
- the evolution of the human species
- Darwin’s theory of evolution
- Finally it was legal to teach evolution everywhere in America.
Extra ExamplesTopics Biologyb2- Evolution requires intermediate forms between species.
- competing theories as to how evolution works
- the early evolution of animals
- organic evolution by natural selection
- the long-term evolution of ecosystems
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- gradual
- slow
- rapid
- …
- trace
- drive
- influence
- …
- happen
- occur
- proceed
- …
- evolution from… to…
- evolution of
- evolution towards/toward
- …
- the theory of evolution
- [uncountable, countable] the slow steady development of something
- In politics Britain has preferred evolution to revolution (= slow steady development to sudden violent change)
- cultural trends and evolutions
Extra Examples- The movement is undergoing an ideological evolution.
- a book tracing the evolution of the English language
- his evolution from comedian to serious actor
- the country's gradual evolution towards democracy
- the parallel evolution of science and art
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- gradual
- slow
- rapid
- …
- trace
- drive
- influence
- …
- happen
- occur
- proceed
- …
- evolution from… to…
- evolution of
- evolution towards/toward
- …
- the theory of evolution
Word Originearly 17th cent.: from Latin evolutio(n-) ‘unrolling’, from the verb evolvere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out of’ + volvere ‘to roll’. Early senses related to movement, first recorded in describing a “wheeling” manoeuvre in the realignment of troops or ships. Current senses stem from a notion of “opening out”, giving rise to the sense ‘development’.