What does Evolution mean?

Definitions for Evolution
ˌɛv əˈlu ʃən; esp. Brit. ˌi və-evo·lu·tion

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word Evolution.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. development, evolutionnoun

    a process in which something passes by degrees to a different stage (especially a more advanced or mature stage)

    "the development of his ideas took many years"; "the evolution of Greek civilization"; "the slow development of her skill as a writer"

  2. evolution, organic evolution, phylogeny, phylogenesisnoun

    (biology) the sequence of events involved in the evolutionary development of a species or taxonomic group of organisms

Wiktionary

  1. evolutionnoun

    gradual directional change especially one leading to a more advanced or complex form; growth; development

  2. evolutionnoun

    The change in the genetic composition of a population over successive generations.

    1976, Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene:

  3. evolutionnoun

    The extraction of a root from a quantity.

  4. evolutionnoun

    One of a series of ordered movements.

  5. evolutionnoun

    A turning movement of the body.

    1869, Anon., Miss Langley's Will:

  6. Etymology: From evolutio, from evolutus, perfect passive participle of evolvo, from e, short form of ex, + volvo.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Evolutionnoun

    Etymology: evolutus, Latin.

    The whole evolution of ages, from everlasting to everlasting, is so collectedly and presentifickly represented to God at once, as if all things which ever were, are, or shall be, were at this very instant, and so always, really present and existent before him. Henry More, Divine Dialogues.

    This spontaneous coagulation of the little saline bodies was preceded by almost innumerable evolutions, which were so various, that the little bodies came to obvert to each other those parts by which they might be best fastened together. Boyle.

Wikipedia

  1. Evolution

    Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variation tends to exist within any given population as a result of genetic mutation and recombination. Evolution occurs when evolutionary processes such as natural selection (including sexual selection) and genetic drift act on this variation, resulting in certain characteristics becoming more common or more rare within a population. The evolutionary pressures that determine whether a characteristic is common or rare within a population constantly change, resulting in a change in heritable characteristics arising over successive generations. It is this process of evolution that has given rise to biodiversity at every level of biological organisation, including the levels of species, individual organisms, and molecules.The theory of evolution by natural selection was conceived independently by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace in the mid-19th century and was set out in detail in Darwin's book On the Origin of Species. Evolution by natural selection is established by observable facts about living organisms: (1) more offspring are often produced than can possibly survive; (2) traits vary among individuals with respect to their morphology, physiology, and behaviour (phenotypic variation); (3) different traits confer different rates of survival and reproduction (differential fitness); and (4) traits can be passed from generation to generation (heritability of fitness). In successive generations, members of a population are therefore more likely to be replaced by the offspring of parents with favourable characteristics. In the early 20th century, other competing ideas of evolution such as mutationism and orthogenesis were refuted as the modern synthesis concluded Darwinian evolution acts on Mendelian genetic variation.All life on Earth—including humanity—shares a last universal common ancestor (LUCA), which lived approximately 3.5–3.8 billion years ago. The fossil record includes a progression from early biogenic graphite to microbial mat fossils to fossilised multicellular organisms. Existing patterns of biodiversity have been shaped by repeated formations of new species (speciation), changes within species (anagenesis), and loss of species (extinction) throughout the evolutionary history of life on Earth. Morphological and biochemical traits are more similar among species that share a more recent common ancestor, and these traits can be used to reconstruct phylogenetic trees.Evolutionary biologists have continued to study various aspects of evolution by forming and testing hypotheses as well as constructing theories based on evidence from the field or laboratory and on data generated by the methods of mathematical and theoretical biology. Their discoveries have influenced not just the development of biology but numerous other scientific and industrial fields, including agriculture, medicine, and computer science.

ChatGPT

  1. evolution

    Evolution is a process of gradual development or change that occurs over a period of time, resulting in a new or significantly altered form. It's most commonly known in the context of biological evolution, where it refers to the process by which species of organisms arise from earlier life forms and subsequently change over time through the mechanisms of mutation, non-random mating, gene flow, genetic drift, and natural selection. The term can also apply to other areas such as technology, society, or personal progress, signifying a progressive development or advancement.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Evolutionnoun

    the act of unfolding or unrolling; hence, in the process of growth; development; as, the evolution of a flower from a bud, or an animal from the egg

  2. Evolutionnoun

    a series of things unrolled or unfolded

  3. Evolutionnoun

    the formation of an involute by unwrapping a thread from a curve as an evolute

  4. Evolutionnoun

    the extraction of roots; -- the reverse of involution

  5. Evolutionnoun

    a prescribed movement of a body of troops, or a vessel or fleet; any movement designed to effect a new arrangement or disposition; a maneuver

  6. Evolutionnoun

    a general name for the history of the steps by which any living organism has acquired the morphological and physiological characters which distinguish it; a gradual unfolding of successive phases of growth or development

  7. Evolutionnoun

    that theory of generation which supposes the germ to preexist in the parent, and its parts to be developed, but not actually formed, by the procreative act; -- opposed to epigenesis

  8. Evolutionnoun

    that series of changes under natural law which involves continuous progress from the homogeneous to the heterogeneous in structure, and from the single and simple to the diverse and manifold in quality or function. The pocess is by some limited to organic beings; by others it is applied to the inorganic and the psychical. It is also applied to explain the existence and growth of institutions, manners, language, civilization, and every product of human activity. The agencies and laws of the process are variously explained by different philosophrs

  9. Etymology: [L. evolutio an unrolling: cf. F. volution evolution. See Evolve.]

Wikidata

  1. Evolution

    Evolution is the change in the inherited characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins. All life on earth is descended from a last universal ancestor that lived approximately 3.8 billion years ago. Repeated speciation and the divergence of life can be inferred from shared sets of biochemical and morphological traits, or by shared DNA sequences. These homologous traits and sequences are more similar among species that share a more recent common ancestor, and can be used to reconstruct evolutionary histories, using both existing species and the fossil record. Existing patterns of biodiversity have been shaped both by speciation and by extinction. Charles Darwin was the first to formulate a scientific argument for the theory of evolution by means of natural selection. Evolution by natural selection is a process that is inferred from three facts about populations: 1) more offspring are produced than can possibly survive, 2) traits vary among individuals, leading to different rates of survival and reproduction, and 3) trait differences are heritable. Thus, when members of a population die they are replaced by the progeny of parents that were better adapted to survive and reproduce in the environment in which natural selection took place. This process creates and preserves traits that are seemingly fitted for the functional roles they perform. Natural selection is the only known cause of adaptation, but not the only known cause of evolution. Other, nonadaptive causes of evolution include mutation and genetic drift.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Evolution

    ev-ol-ū′shun, n. the act of unrolling or unfolding: gradual working out or development: a series of things unfolded: the doctrine according to which higher forms of life have gradually arisen out of lower: (arith., alg.) the extraction of roots: (pl.) the orderly movements of a body of troops or of ships of war.—adjs. Evolū′tional, Evolū′tionary, of or pertaining to evolution.—ns. Evolū′tionism, the theory of evolution; Evolū′tionist, one skilled in evolutions or military movements: one who believes in evolution as a principle in science.—adj. Ev′olūtive. [L. evolutionemevolvĕre.]

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

  1. Evolution

    the theory that the several species of plants and animals on the globe were not created in their present form, but have all been evolved by modifications of structure from cruder forms under or coincident with change of environment, an idea which is being applied to everything organic in the spiritual as well as the natural world. See Darwinian Theory.

The Roycroft Dictionary

  1. evolution

    1. A word that has reclassified in an entertaining manner our impermeable and eternal ignorance. 2. The growth of a thing from the simple to the complex, and the wasting away of the complex until it is simpler than ever. 3. The one superstition that is cordially hated by theologues.

U.S. National Library of Medicine

  1. Evolution

    The process of cumulative change over successive generations through which organisms acquire their distinguishing morphological and physiological characteristics.

The Foolish Dictionary, by Gideon Wurdz

  1. EVOLUTION

    A clever trick performed by one Darwin, who made a monkey of Adam.

Dictionary of Nautical Terms

  1. evolution

    The change of form and disposition during manœuvres, whether of men or ships; movements which should combine celerity with precision and regularity.

Editors Contribution

  1. evolution

    To improve using our mind, thoughts, learning, awareness, education, experience, understanding, knowledge and skills.

    The evolution of humanity is happening every day as we as human beings learn, change and grow.


    Submitted by MaryC on February 19, 2020  

Suggested Resources

  1. evolution

    Song lyrics by evolution -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by evolution on the Lyrics.com website.

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British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'Evolution' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #3862

  2. Written Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'Evolution' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4085

  3. Nouns Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'Evolution' in Nouns Frequency: #1572

How to pronounce Evolution?

How to say Evolution in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of Evolution in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of Evolution in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of Evolution in a Sentence

  1. Maria Martinón-Torres:

    I think that Asia is an unknown land, the samples are amazing, they are wild, they are variable and I think in the next few years we are going to have surprises because they have a lot to say not only about Asian study but about the main stories that we have been talking about (regarding) human evolution.

  2. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell:

    There are a number of things that went wrong, it was important that we understood those things and the evolution of technology.

  3. Thomas Carr:

    We're learning about the rules of dinosaur evolution, it shows that the dinosaurs across theropods and sauropodomorphs and even ornithischians tend to follow the same rules in changing their bodies.

  4. Jack Trlica:

    There's going to be an evolution of security products.

  5. Joel Brennan:

    Details about the continuing evolution of this project will require further review and evaluation by our team.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

Evolution#1#3013#10000

Translations for Evolution

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"Evolution." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/Evolution>.

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