evolve

verb

i-ˈvälv 

-ˈvȯlv,

ē-,

 also  -ˈväv,

 or  -ˈvȯv

evolved; evolving

transitive verb

1

: emit

2

a

: derive, educe

b

: to produce by natural evolutionary processes

c

: develop, work out

evolve social, political, and literary philosophies

—L. W. Doob

intransitive verb

: to undergo evolutionary change

evolvable

i-ˈväl-və-bəl 

-ˈvȯl-

ē-

 also  -ˈvä-və-

 or  -ˈvȯ-və-

adjective

evolvement

i-ˈvälv-mənt 

-ˈvȯlv-

ē-

 also  -ˈväv-

 or  -ˈvȯv-

noun

Synonyms

• develop
• elaborate
• unfold

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

Along the way, This Life evolved at studios in New York, Los Angeles, London and Barcelona, with additional production from Jennifer Decilveo (Hozier, Miley Cyrus). —Lars Brandle, Billboard, 24 Nov. 2023

Libra Building on the momentum of the constellation before it, Libra evolves from Gemini, which is more concerned with social groups, by centering on partnership. —Nicole Briese, Peoplemag, 24 Nov. 2023

Still, after years of high inflation and a 93 percent nosedive in the value of the Argentine peso since the start of the pandemic three years ago, the already topsy-turvy Argentine economy has evolved to rely even more on U.S. dollars to function from day to day. —Lucía Cholakian Herrera, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2023

Founder Neha Mishra’s love for Japanese culture evolved into an obsession with perfecting the cuisine and—in true izakaya style—Kinoya offers a selection of small bites, including the unmissable wagyu beef tsukune. —Claudia De Brito, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Nov. 2023

In 2019, my content evolved, incorporating edgier elements and a diverse range of fashion styles such as showing off my tattoos or wearing men’s clothing. —Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2023

Yet, despite its reputation as a historical hot spot, the town has steadily evolved. —Wendy O’Dea, Travel + Leisure, 21 Nov. 2023

Further, new types of OLED monitor technologies, like QD-OLED, are still evolving. —Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 21 Nov. 2023

As the industry evolves, what is your vision for the future, and how does Acxiom plan to continue to lead in this space? —Gary Drenik, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023

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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

Kids Definition

evolve

verb

i-ˈvälv 

-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

i-ˈväl-və-bəl 

-ˈvȯl-

adjective

Medical Definition

evolve

verb

i-ˈvälv, -ˈvȯlv 

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 functioning

—S. A. Green