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.

---

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

Explanation

Evolutionary things have to do with how animals (or other things) change over time — this process of change is called evolution. Scientists that study living things are interested in evolutionary changes in form or behavior. It's not always easy to put the evolutionary pieces together, and scientists often have to rely on fossils to tell the whole story of evolution. Usually, evolutionary changes happen because they help the organism survive and reproduce. Many evolutionary questions are non-physical: How did the domestication of dogs change the behavior of canines from an evolutionary standpoint? When you see the word evolutionary, think "change."

Related Words

• developmental
• transformative