evolution

evolution — noun

1. the scientific process by which living organisms change across many generations

1.nounB2
Definition

the scientific process by which living organisms change across many generations as inherited traits are passed on and modified, with new forms of life gradually arising from earlier ones

Example

Maja's biology textbook explains how evolution works through natural selection.

Fossil evidence supports the theory that the evolution of whales began with four-legged land ancestors.

collocation: theory of evolution

Common collocations
  • theory of evolution
  • human evolution
  • evolutionary biology
  • evolution of species
  • Darwinian evolution
  • evolutionary change
Synonyms
  • natural selection

    not a true synonym — natural selection is the main mechanism that drives evolution, not the process itself

  • adaptation

    narrower — adaptation refers to individual traits changing in response to the environment, while evolution covers the whole species-level change

  • speciation

    more specific — speciation is the part of evolution where one species splits into two distinct species

Antonyms
  • extinction

    the opposite direction — extinction ends a species, while evolution continues it in changed form

  • stasis

    a state where no evolutionary change occurs over long periods

Grammar Patterns

the evolution + of [species/trait]

theory of evolution

Usage Note

Frequently used as 'theory of evolution' to name the scientific framework first proposed by Charles Darwin. The word itself refers to the process, not the theory.

Common Mistakes

Evolution means that humans came from monkeys that we see today.
Evolution explains that humans and modern apes share a common ancestor that lived millions of years ago.
Evolution does not claim one living species turned into another; it describes shared ancestry over vast timescales.
The evolution of the dog happened quickly when people started breeding them.
The evolution of dogs from wolves happened over thousands of years of selective breeding.
Evolution on a species level takes many generations, not a few years.

2. the way something slowly becomes more developed or better organised over time th

2.nounB2
Definition

the way something slowly becomes more developed or better organised over time through a series of small changes

Example

The evolution of smartphone technology has changed how people communicate and work.

collocation: evolution of [technology/field]

Ayesha watched the evolution of her garden from dry soil to a flower-filled space.

collocation: evolution from + noun + to + noun

Common collocations
  • gradual evolution
  • steady evolution
  • evolution of technology
  • evolution of language
  • social evolution
  • political evolution
Synonyms
  • development

    broader and more neutral — development can be planned or sudden; evolution always implies gradual change

  • progress

    emphasises improvement and forward movement, while evolution can describe change without judging it as better

  • advancement

    more formal and strongly implies reaching a higher, superior stage

Antonyms
  • stagnation

    a period without growth or development — the opposite of ongoing change

  • decline

    movement toward a worse state rather than a more advanced one

Grammar Patterns

the evolution + of [thing]

evolution from + noun + to + noun

Usage Note

This sense does not involve biology. It applies to technology, society, art, language, business, and personal skills. The focus is on gradual, often unplanned, movement toward a more advanced state.

Common Mistakes

The evolution of the product was carefully planned by the design team.
The evolution of the product happened gradually as the team responded to customer feedback.
Evolution implies gradual, often unplanned change, not deliberate step-by-step planning.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Evolution is the broadest term, covering all inherited changes in living populations over generations. Natural selection is the key mechanism driving evolution—it describes how traits that help survival become more common in a population. Adaptation is a narrower concept: it refers to specific traits (like a bird's beak shape) that change to fit environmental conditions. Speciation is the part of evolution where one species splits into two distinct species. For example: "The evolution of Darwin's finches involved natural selection acting on beak size, leading to adaptation for different food sources, and eventually speciation across the islands." Use 'evolution' for the big picture, 'adaptation' for a single trait shift, and 'natural selection' when explaining how it happens.

evolution ↗natural selectionadaptation ↗speciation

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • the evolution of something
  • evolution over time
  • evolution from something to something else

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Evolution comes from the Latin word evolutio, meaning 'unrolling' or 'opening a scroll.' It is built from e- ('out of') and volvere ('to roll'). In 17th-century English it was first used for military formations unfolding in a planned sequence. The modern biological meaning became widespread in the 1800s, especially after Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species in 1859.