emergent evolution

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noun

the origin of entirely new properties at certain critical stages or levels in the course of evolution, as multicellular organisms, sexual reproduction, or nervous systems.

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Origin of emergent evolution

First recorded in 1920–25

Words nearby emergent evolution

emergency medical technician, emergency medicine, emergency room, emergency theory, emergent, emergent evolution, emergent norm, emergicenter, emerging, emerging market, emerita

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use emergent evolution in a sentence

Human evolution has left men as deeply wired for emotional connections to children as women are.
How Good Dads Can Change the World|Gary Barker, PhD, Michael Kaufman|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
This view is known as “theistic evolution” and is widely embraced by educated evangelicals.
2014: Revenge of the Creationists|Karl W. Giberson|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The moment where they enter the spirit portal symbolizes their evolution from being friends to being a couple.
Yep, Korra and Asami Went in the Spirit Portal and Probably Kissed|Melissa Leon|December 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The traditional wisdom is “action is character,” and their evolution is one, with a slight edge to character.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The evolution of style is oft studied but rarely understood in any comprehensive manner.
100 Years of Beauty Styles in 1 Minute|Jack Holmes, The Daily Beast Video|December 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The evolution theory alleges that they were evolved, slowly, by natural processes out of previously existing matter.
God and my Neighbour|Robert Blatchford
To fix on any one stage in such an evolution, detach it, affirm it, is to wrest a true scripture to its destruction.
Solomon and Solomonic Literature|Moncure Daniel Conway
The biological doctrine of evolution was misinterpreted and misapplied to social policy.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
In the flowers, both by day and night, there is a constant absorption of oxygen, and evolution of carbonic acid.
Elements of Agricultural Chemistry|Thomas Anderson
That at some period of Man's gradual evolution from the brute, God found Man guilty of some sin, and cursed him.
God and my Neighbour|Robert Blatchford

British Dictionary definitions for emergent evolution

emergent evolution

noun

philosophy the doctrine that, in the course of evolution, some entirely new properties, such as life and consciousness, appear at certain critical points, usually because of an unpredictable rearrangement of the already existing entities

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