evolution

Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

evo·lu·tion AW [evolution evolutions] BrE [ˌiːvəˈluːʃn] NAmE [ˌiːvəˈluːʃn] BrE [ˌevəˈluːʃn] NAmE [ˌevəˈluːʃn] noun uncountable
1. (biology)the gradual development of plants, animals, etc. over many years as they adapt to changes in their environment
•the evolution of the human species
•Darwin's theory of evolution
2. the gradual development of sth
•In politics Britain has preferred evolution to revolution (= gradual development to sudden violent change).

Word Origin:
early 17th cent.: from Latin evolutio(n-) ‘unrolling’, from the verb evolvere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out of’ volvere ‘to roll’. Early senses related to movement, first recorded in describing a “wheeling” manoeuvre in the realignment of troops or ships. Current senses stem from a notion of “opening out”, giving rise to the sense ‘development’.

Example Bank:
•Evolution requires intermediate forms between species.
•The movement is undergoing an ideological evolution.
•a book tracing the evolution of the English language
•competing theories as to how evolution works
•during the early evolution of animals
•his evolution from comedian to serious actor
•organic evolution by natural selection
•people who reject the theory of evolution
•the country's gradual evolution towards democracy
•the forces that drove the evolution of the European financial system
•the long-term evolution of ecosystems
•the parallel evolution of science and art
•the peaceful evolution to democracy
•Darwin's theory of evolution incorporates the principle of natural selection.
•In politics Britain has preferred evolution to revolution.

• Từ đồng nghĩa / Synonyms:
  organic evolution, phylogeny, phylogenesis, development
• Từ trái nghĩa / Antonyms:
  degeneration, devolution