evolutionary

American  

[ev-uh-loo-shuh-ner-ee, ee-vuh-] / ˌɛv əˈlu ʃəˌnɛr i, ˌi və- /

adjective

1. pertaining to evolution or development; developmental.

   the evolutionary origin of species.

2. of, relating to, or in accordance with a theory of evolution, especially in biology.

3. pertaining to or performing evolutions.

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Other Word Forms

• antievolutionary adjective
• evolutionarily adverb
• nonevolutionary adjective
• preevolutionary adjective
• proevolutionary adjective
• unevolutionary adjective

Etymology

Origin of evolutionary

First recorded in 1840–50; evolution + -ary

Example Sentences

"My PhD project is looking at the evolutionary relationships of these early crocodiles," explains Ewan.

From Science Daily

Lamarck’s science was indeed revolutionary for its time, emphasizing nonreligious materialism and imagining a version of evolutionary change.

From The Wall Street Journal

He begins “Hotwired” with an accessible tour through the biology and evolutionary history of perspiration.

From The Wall Street Journal

Scientists have struggled to determine whether this type of DNA, known as regulatory DNA, remains conserved in plants over long evolutionary periods.

From Science Daily

"It is a rare opportunity to study this evolutionary process which has happened countless of times in the wild over millennia."

From Science Daily

Related Words

• developmental
• transformative