evolve

verb

i-ˈvälv How to pronounce evolve (audio)
-ˈvȯlv,
ē-,
 also  -ˈväv,
 or  -ˈvȯv
evolved; evolving

transitive verb

1
: emit
2
a
b
: to produce by natural evolutionary processes
c
: develop, work out
evolve social, political, and literary philosophiesL. W. Doob

intransitive verb

: to undergo evolutionary change
evolvable
i-ˈväl-və-bəl How to pronounce evolve (audio)
-ˈvȯl-
ē-
 also  -ˈvä-və-
 or  -ˈvȯ-və-
adjective
evolvement
i-ˈvälv-mənt How to pronounce evolve (audio)
-ˈvȯlv-
ē-
 also  -ˈväv-
 or  -ˈvȯv-
noun

Examples of evolve in a Sentence

Her company has evolved from a hobby into a thriving business. Some flowers have evolved remarkable means of insect pollination.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Elon Musk’s $1 million-a-day giveaway has evolved from what his America PAC initially called a random sweepstakes into a political tool to reward citizens for their support of Donald Trump's reelection campaign. Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024 As Texas continues to evolve, both parties will look to build on the lessons of the 2024 race. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024 The case has drawn considerable industry attention given the rapidly evolving dynamics of pay-TV and the rise of streaming bundles. Dade Hayes, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2024 The shopping festival, also known as Singles Day or 11.11, has in recent years evolved into a weeks-long promotional period since Alibaba launched it in 2008 on Nov. 11. Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for evolve 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin ēvolvere "to roll out or away, unwind, unroll, narrate (a series of events)," from ē-, variant of ex- ex- entry 1 before voiced consonants + volvere "to set in a circular course, cause to roll, bring round" — more at wallow entry 1

First Known Use

1772, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of evolve was in 1772

Dictionary Entries Near evolve

Cite this Entry

“Evolve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/evolve. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

evolve

verb
i-ˈvälv How to pronounce evolve (audio)
-ˈvȯlv
evolved; evolving
1
: to develop or work out from something else
evolved a new plan
evolved a safer design from the old one
2
: to produce by a process of evolution
3
: to change by a process of evolution
evolvable adjective

Medical Definition

evolve

verb
evolved; evolving

transitive verb

: to produce by natural evolutionary processes

intransitive verb

: to develop by or as if by evolution : undergo evolutionary change
an evolving theory of mental functioningS. A. Green

More from Merriam-Webster on evolve

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