evolucionist

An evolutionist is a person who accepts the theory of evolution as a primary explanation for the origin and development of life on Earth and who studies its mechanisms, such as natural selection, genetic variation, and speciation. The standard English spelling is evolutionist; "evolucionist" is not a common variant in English. The term is broad and historically has referred to scientists across biology who argued that species change over time and share common ancestry.

The word evolution derives from Latin evolutio. In English, evolutionist arose in the 19th century to describe proponents of evolutionary ideas. In the early period, it was used for a range of thinkers—from those proposing naturalistic approaches to life to those with broader teleological or progressive implications. Over time, as scientific consensus grew, many specialists began to describe themselves as evolutionary biologists rather than as evolutionists.

In contemporary scientific discourse, "evolutionist" is less common and can be perceived as antiquated or non-specific. It is sometimes used in popular culture or in debates where contrasting viewpoints are discussed, including terms like "creationist" for opponents. The preferred professional labels for researchers are often "evolutionary biologist," "paleontologist," "geneticist," or simply "biologist who studies evolution." The concept of evolution remains a central organizing principle of biology, integrating genetics, paleontology, ecology, and developmental biology.