evolution

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /ˌiːvəˈluːʃ(ə)n/ or /ˈɛvəluːʃ(ə)n/
• (US) enPR: ĕv'ə-lo͞oʹshən or ēv'ə- or -lo͞oshʹn, IPA ^(key): /ˌɛvəˈluʃ(ə)n/ or /ˌivə-/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: evo‧lu‧tion

Noun

Singular evolution

Plural evolutions

1. (uncountable) Evolution is the process of slow change. It is most used in biology to refer to the way living things change over long periods of time in order to adapt to their surroundings.

   The theory of evolution is the basis of modern biology.

   For the first time, the evolution of some bacteria has been observed.

   Evolution is the reason animals and plants of today are different from those of long ago.

   He believed that the evolution of society followed certain laws.

   Creationists are people who deny that evolution is real, because it contradicts their religious beliefs, which are that God made everything.

2. (countable) An evolution is a change that happens over time.

   Over the last ten years, there has been an evolution in the way we think about this disease.

Related words

• evolve
• evolutionary
• evolutionist