devolution

[ dev-uh-loo-shuhn or, especially British, dee-vuh- ]

/ ˌdɛv əˈlu ʃən or, especially British, ˈdi və- /

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See synonyms for devolution on Thesaurus.com

noun

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

the passing on to a successor of an unexercised right.

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

Biology. degeneration.

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

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Origin of devolution

1535–45; (<Middle French ) <Medieval Latin dēvolūtiōn- (stem of dēvolūtiō) a rolling down, equivalent to Latin dēvolūt(us) rolled down (past participle of dēvolvere;see devolve) + -iōn--ion

OTHER WORDS FROM devolution

dev·o·lu·tion·ar·y, adjective, noundev·o·lu·tion·ist, noun

Words nearby devolution

devoice, devoid, devoir, devoirs, devolatilize, devolution, devolve, Devon, Devonian, Devon Island, Devon minnow

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use devolution in a sentence

In addition to all kinds of juicy details, Tom provides a schema for how to understand the city’s evolution, or devolution, depending on your point of view.
How Does New York City Keep Reinventing Itself? (Bonus)|Kurt Andersen|March 21, 2021|Freakonomics
The date never comes to pass, and it will take most of the six-episode series to trace her long devolution into the battered, traumatized creature who wakes up in jail less than a year later.
In Starz's Enchanting The Luminaries, Fate and Free Will Battle Amid New Zealand's Gold Rush|Judy Berman|February 12, 2021|Time
Cameron said no, reasoning that Scotland was likely to opt for greater devolution but would stop short of total independence.
Anarchy for the U.K.? British Leaders Panicking Over Scottish Vote for Independence|Nico Hines|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Kristol et al may long for such a devolution, but polls suggest that the majority of Americans do not.
Tom Cotton’s Run for Senate in Arkansas Makes Him the New Neocon Darling|Michelle Cottle|August 9, 2013|DAILY BEAST

It is an old native element recast in Roman form, and well illustrates the Roman principle of local government by devolution.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3|Various
This argument for the obligation of the Consuming Class is based upon the devolution of duties.
Consumers and Wage-Earners|J. Elliot Ross
It was thus that the first of his wars for the extension of frontiers began, the War of Devolution.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 7|Various
The principle of local devolution is carried somewhat further in Madras than in other provinces.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 17, Slice 3|Various
It is only when a partition takes place that the devolution of the shares by inheritance has to be traced.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 14, Slice 4|Various

British Dictionary definitions for devolution

devolution

/ (ˌdiːvəˈluːʃən) /

noun

the act, fact, or result of devolving

a passing onwards or downwards from one stage to another

another word for degeneration (def. 3)

a transfer or allocation of authority, esp from a central government to regional governments or particular interests

Derived forms of devolution

devolutionary, adjectivedevolutionist, noun, adjective

Word Origin for devolution

C16: from Medieval Latin dēvolūtiō a rolling down, from Latin dēvolvere to roll down, sink into; see devolve

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

devolution

Origin of devolution

OTHER WORDS FROM devolution

Words nearby devolution

Words related to devolution

How to use devolution in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for devolution

Derived forms of devolution

Word Origin for devolution