devolution
Americannoun
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the act or fact of devolving; passage onward from stage to stage.
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the passing on to a successor of an unexercised right.
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Law. the passing of property from one to another, as by hereditary succession.
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Biology. degeneration.
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the transfer of power or authority from a central government to a local government.
noun
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the act, fact, or result of devolving
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a passing onwards or downwards from one stage to another
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another word for degeneration
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a transfer or allocation of authority, esp from a central government to regional governments or particular interests
Other Word Forms
- devolutionary adjective
- devolutionist noun
Etymology
Origin of devolution
1535–45; (< Middle French ) < Medieval Latin dēvolūtiōn- (stem of dēvolūtiō ) a rolling down, equivalent to Latin dēvolūt ( us ) rolled down (past participle of dēvolvere; devolve ) + -iōn- -ion
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It would be a complicated move, because this ancient office - which dates back to 1478 - is knitted into the devolution settlement itself.
From BBC
"And so again, we've seen the devolution of the discourse. How do we come back from a place that we have fallen into?"
From Barron's
She claimed that Labour had strengthened devolution "in ways that will make a tangible and positive impact for Wales and this is one of the areas where we think can do that".
From BBC
"I have been clear with Keir about what Wales needs. Action on the cost of living, investment in our economy and infrastructure, and a continued commitment to stronger devolution," she said.
From BBC
Divisions over devolution within Labour are not new.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
