evolution

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A change of position.

   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 […].

2. 2
   noun

   An unfolding.

   The world […] might have been gradually produced from very small beginnings […] rather than by a sudden evolution of the whole by the Almighty fiat.

3. 3
   noun

   Process of development.

   The ongoing evolution of Lolita subculture fashion includes, among other things, the ballet style.

4. 4
   noun

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

5. 5
   noun

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

Etymology

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)).