evolve

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ɪˈvɑlv/ UK /ɪˈvɒlv/ See IPA manual

Freq #11722

Meanings

1

verb
To change and develop gradually over time.

Human cultures have evolved over thousands of years.
2

verb
(of plants and animals) to change physically over many generations through biological evolution.

Scientists study how birds evolved from dinosaurs.
3

verb
To develop or transform something into a new form.

Over several years she evolved the short story into a full novel.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to change and develop... develop progress

3 verb · to develop or transform... convert develop transform

Word family

Forms evolvedevolvesevolving

Derived forms co-evolvecoevolveevolvabilityevolvinglymicroevolvenonevolvingphotoevolvereevolve

Related forms evolute evolution evolutiveevolvableevolvementevolver

Simplified etymology

Evolve comes from Latin evolvere, formed from e-, a variant of ex- meaning “out of,” and volvere, “to roll.” Early senses included physical movement, such as a tactical wheeling manoeuvre used to realign troops or ships. Its current senses draw on the ideas of opening out and unfolding and express development or increasing complexity.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ēvolvō (“unroll, unfold”), from ē- (“out of”) (short form of ex) + volvō (“roll”).

ēvolvō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# evolve

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ɪˈvɑlv/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪˈvɒlv/
**Frequency rank:** 11722

## Meanings
1. To change and develop gradually over time.
2. (of plants and animals) to change physically over many generations through biological evolution.
3. To develop or transform something into a new form.

## Examples
- Human cultures have evolved over thousands of years.
- Scientists study how birds evolved from dinosaurs.
- Over several years she evolved the short story into a full novel.

## Derived Forms
- co-evolve
- coevolve
- evolvability
- evolvingly
- microevolve
- nonevolving
- photoevolve
- reevolve

## Related Forms
- evolute
- evolution
- evolutive
- evolvable
- evolvement
- evolver

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ēvolvō

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin ēvolvō (“unroll, unfold”), from ē- (“out of”) (short form of ex) + volvō (“roll”).

## AI Etymology
Evolve is borrowed from Latin ēvolvō (“unroll, unfold”), from ē- (“out of”) (short form of ex) + volvō (“roll”). In current use, the main senses are “To change and develop gradually over time” and “(of plants and animals) to change physically over many generations through biological evolution”.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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