Evolution Meaning
/ˌiːvəˈluːʃ(ə)n/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA change of position.
nounA change of position., A manoeuvre of troops or ships.
Sentence Examples
We associate Darwin with the theory of evolution.
Have you studied Darwin's theory of evolution?
The evolution of the human species
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The theory of ____ explains how species change over time.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ of the smartphone from a simple phone to a powerful computer took less than a decade.
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from Latin ēvolūtiō, ēvolūtiōnis (“the act of unrolling, unfolding or opening (of a book)”), from ēvolūtus, perfect passive participle of ēvolvō (“unroll, unfold”), from ex + volvō (“roll”). Compare typologically Czech vývoj, Serbo-Croatian развој, Russian разви́ть (razvítʹ), развива́ть (razvivátʹ), разви́ться (razvítʹsja), развива́ться (razvivátʹsja), Russian разви́тие (razvítije), related to Proto-Slavic *viti (whence Czech vít, Russian вить (vitʹ)).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Mean while, he never failed to be present, when any regiment, or corps of men, were drawn out to be exercised and reviewed, and accompanied them in all their evolutions […]."
— 1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC:
"Major Holroyd, who acted as the General, was extremely polite, and attentive, and came to us between every evolution, to explain and talk over the manoeuvres."
— 1779, Frances Burney, Journals & Letters, Penguin, published 2001, page 117:
"Our necromancer […] taking up his wand, waved it around his head in a very mysterious motion, with a view of intimidating these forward visitants, who, far from being awed by this sort of evolution, became more and more obstreperous […]."
— 1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC:
"It was a critical instant: the pirouette -- it would fail, she feared. … the rapid whirl achieved in exact time, the whole evolution executed to perfection."
— 1869, anonymous author, Miss Langley's Will:
"… as he beheld the tenfold pirouette of a lovely girl, which presented to the public eye the whole of her form and figure; … to praise the dexterity and ease with which the unfortunate and degraded creature had performed the ungraceful evolution, the only merit of which, is the gross exposition of person, at which modesty shudders […]"
— 1825, Theodore Edward Hook, Sayings and Doings: Passion and principle:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The theory of ____ explains how species change over time.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ of the smartphone from a simple phone to a powerful computer took less than a decade.