evolve
Americanverb (used with object)
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to develop gradually.
to evolve a scheme.
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to give off or emit, as odors or vapors.
verb (used without object)
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to come forth gradually into being; develop; undergo evolution.
The whole idea evolved from a casual remark.
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to gradually change one's opinions or beliefs.
candidates who are still evolving on the issue;
an evolved feminist mom.
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Biology. to develop by a process of evolution to a different adaptive state or condition.
The human species evolved from an ancestor that was probably arboreal.
verb
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to develop or cause to develop gradually
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(intr) (of animal or plant species) to undergo evolution
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(tr) to yield, emit, or give off (heat, gas, vapour, etc)
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To undergo biological evolution, as in the development of new species or new traits within a species.
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To develop a characteristic through the process of evolution.
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To undergo change and development, as the structures of the universe.
Other Word Forms
- evolvable adjective
- evolvement noun
- evolver noun
- nonevolving adjective
- self-evolved adjective
- self-evolving adjective
- unevolved adjective
Etymology
Origin of evolve
First recorded in 1635–45; from Latin ēvolvere “to unroll, open, unfold,” equivalent to ē- e- 1 + volvere “to roll, turn”
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.
This situation remains fluid and developing, with legal challenges and international reactions continuing to evolve.
From Salon
To resolve this long standing conflict, an international research team led by Dr. M. Eleonora Rossi of the University of Bristol's School of Biological Sciences took a closer look at how sponge skeletons evolved.
From Science Daily
Remarkably, different viruses evolved separate proteins that all block MurJ in the same way, highlighting it as a promising new antibiotic target.
From Science Daily
Weapons systems have evolved from disposable purchases to multi-decade ecosystems nowadays.
From MarketWatch
The two startups now compete directly for users and corporate customers with an evolving offer of AI chatbots, agents and other tools.
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.
