Devolve

Devolve is a verb with several related meanings. The primary sense is to transfer authority, responsibility, or power from a central or higher level to a lower one, such as from a national government to regional or local authorities. It can also refer to delegating duties within an organization, or to the transfer of property by operation of law upon death, where the estate devolves to heirs. A further sense is to deteriorate or degenerate in condition, as in a discussion that devolves into chaos.

Origin and usage: Devolve derives from Latin devolvere, meaning to roll down (de- + volvere). In English, it appears in political, legal, and everyday contexts. The noun devolution refers to the process of transferring powers or property and, in informal usage, to regression or decline.

Political and legal contexts: In government, devolution describes the transfer of powers from a central government to regional or local authorities without creating a full federal system. In property law, devolution governs how an estate passes to heirs or beneficiaries, either by will or by succession rules. Examples include the devolution of powers to regional authorities, and the devolution of an estate to heirs under applicable law.