evolve

Evolve is a verb meaning to develop gradually, especially from simple to more complex forms. The term derives from Latin evolvere, meaning "to unroll" or "to unfold," and entered English through Old French. In everyday use, evolve can describe any process of gradual change over time.

In biology, evolution refers to changes in the heritable characteristics of populations across generations. It explains the diversity of life and the adaptation of organisms to their environments. The central mechanisms include natural selection, mutation, genetic drift, and gene flow, working together with environmental pressures. Over long periods, accumulation of small changes can produce new species.

Evidence for evolution comes from multiple scientific disciplines. The fossil record documents historical sequences of life; comparative anatomy and embryology reveal shared structures; and genetic and molecular data show relatedness among species. Observations of rapid evolution in some organisms and experiments in evolution have clarified how selection can shape traits in real time.

Outside biology, evolve is used to describe gradual development in other domains, such as ideas, technologies, organizations, and languages. A technology product may evolve through successive iterations, and languages naturally evolve in vocabulary and grammar. In computer science, evolutionary algorithms simulate processes of variation and selection to optimize solutions.

Overall, evolution describes a broad pattern of change driven by the unfolding of variation, selection, and time, whether applied to living beings or to human-created systems.