DEVOLUTION


Meaning of DEVOLUTION in English

— devolutionary , adj., n., — devolutionist , n.

/dev'euh looh"sheuhn/ or, esp. Brit., /dee"veuh-/ , n.

1. the act or fact of devolving; passage onward from stage to stage.

2. the passing on to a successor of an unexercised right.

3. Law. the passing of property from one to another, as by hereditary succession.

4. Biol. degeneration.

5. the transfer of power or authority from a central government to a local government.

[ 1535-45; ( devolution- (s. of devolutio ) a rolling down, equiv. to L devolut ( us ) rolled down (ptp. of devolvere; see DEVOLVE) + -ion- -ION ]

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .