# evolution

/ˌɛvəˈɫuʃən/ (US) · /ɪvəlˈuːʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/evolution
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. biological change

noun · CEFR B2

the process by which living things change over many generations to adapt to their environment.

For teachers: the process of cumulative change in the heritable characteristics of a population over successive generations.

- In biology class, we learned about the evolution of birds from small dinosaurs.
- Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection remains the foundational principle of modern biological science, explaining the vast diversity of life on Earth.

### 2. gradual development

noun · CEFR B2

the slow and steady development of an idea, a system, or a situation.

For teachers: the gradual development of something into a more complex or advanced state.

- The evolution of the mobile phone has changed how we communicate every day.
- The evolution of the company from a small family business into a global corporation took nearly half a century of careful expansion.

### 3. physical movement

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal

a planned series of movements or a change in position.

For teachers: a pattern of movements or a coordinated change in position, often in a military or dance context.

- The dancers performed a complex evolution across the stage.
- The naval fleet executed a series of complex evolutions to demonstrate their readiness for the upcoming joint exercises.

### 4. mathematical extraction

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the process of finding the root of a number.

For teachers: the extraction of a root from a power or a number.

- Evolution is the mathematical term for finding a square root.
- In classical arithmetic, evolution refers to the operation of finding the root of a quantity, the inverse of involution.

## Examples

- The evolution of mobile phones has completely changed how we communicate.
- The museum exhibit traces the evolution of flight, showing how early gliders slowly developed into modern jet planes.
- Darwin's theory of evolution fundamentally shifted our understanding of the natural world, proposing that all life shares a common ancestor and adapts through environmental pressures.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.