/ iˈvɒlv; NAmE iˈvɑːlv/ verb
1.
evolve (sth) (from sth) (into sth) to develop gradually, especially from a simple to a more complicated form; to develop sth in this way :
[ v ]
The idea evolved from a drawing I discovered in the attic.
The company has evolved into a major chemical manufacturer.
[ vn ]
Each school must evolve its own way of working.
2.
evolve (from sth) ( biology ) ( of plants, animals, etc. ) to develop over time, often many generations, into forms that are better adapted to survive changes in their environment :
[ v ]
The three species evolved from a single ancestor.
[ vn ]
The dolphin has evolved a highly developed jaw.
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WORD ORIGIN
early 17th cent. (in the general sense make more complex, develop ): from Latin evolvere , from e- (variant of ex- ) out of + volvere to roll.