Evolution is the gradual process by which species develop and diversify through natural selection and genetic variation. More broadly, it refers to any slow, progressive change over time in systems, ideas, or technologies. The term emphasizes cumulative, directional development rather than abrupt shifts. (2–4 sentences, ~60 words)
"The theory of evolution explains how finches on the Galápagos Islands developed diverse beak shapes."
"Her career shows an evolution from basic coding to advanced systems architecture."
"Cultural evolution can occur as traditions adapt to new technologies and social norms."
"We watched the project’s evolution as requirements changed and the team learned from mistakes."
Evolution traces to the Latin verb evolere, meaning to unroll or unfold. The noun form evolved in the 18th century from the Middle French evolution, which signified unrolling or wrapping out. In scientific usage, Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck’s early ideas about the progression of life influenced later thinkers, but it was Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace whose theory of natural selection anchored modern biology’s concept of evolution. The term broadened in the 19th and 20th centuries to describe gradual change in organisms, ideas, and technologies. First used in a biological sense in the late 18th to early 19th century, evolution began to denote not just change overtime but a coherent, directional process supported by evidence from genetics, paleontology, and comparative anatomy. Today, evolution encompasses genetic variation, population dynamics, speciation, and cultural/technological developments, maintaining its core sense of unfolding progression over generations.
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Words that rhyme with "Evolution"
-ion sounds
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In American English, it’s /ˌɛvɪˈluːʃən/ with stress on the third syllable. In British English, it’s /ˌiːvəˈluːʃən/ or /ˌɛvəˈluːʃən/ depending on nucleus vowel shift, with non-rhotic treatment in careful speech. Australian typically mirrors British vowels: /ˌiːvəˈluːʃən/ or /ˌɛvəˈluːʃən/. The key is a clear second syllable /ˈluː/ and a light, unstressed final /ən/. Audio references: you can hear the pattern on Pronounce or Forvo’s regional samples.
Common errors include stressing the first syllable as evo- instead of e-vo-, or compressing the middle /luː/ into a short /lu/ sound. Some speakers also reduce the final unstressed -tion to a schwa rather than a full /ən/. Focus on: 1) secondary stress on the -lu- (ˈluː), 2) ensuring a clear /v/ after the initial vowel, 3) keeping the final /ən/ with a light, barely audible n.
US tends to use /ˌɛvɪˈluːʃən/ with a pronounced first vowel and a rhotic r-like quality in connected speech, though /r/ is not present in evolution. UK and AU often render the nucleus as /ˈiːv/ or /ˌɛvə/ depending on speaker, with a non-rhotic demeanor and slightly longer /uː/ in the second syllable. Across all, the /ˈluː/ nucleus remains stable; regional vowel quality mainly affects the first syllable and the overall rhythm.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic rhythm and the center syllable /ˈluː/ that must stand out without elongating the entire word. Learners often misplace stress, say evo- instead of e-vo-, or flatten the /ɪ/ to /ɪ/ in the first syllable. Additionally, the cluster /v/ followed by /ɪ/ requires precise lip tension, and the final /ən/ should be lightly pronounced, not hard or nasalized. Practice modules help stabilize the pattern.
The word features a clear, non-initial secondary syllable with /luː/ that’s common to many evolutionary derivatives. Unlike some two-syllable words with a trivial middle, evolution requires elevation of the /luː/ and a smooth glide into the final /ən/. Remember the IPA spine: /ˌɛvɪˈluːʃən/ (US) or /ˌiːvəˈluːʃən/ (UK/AU), and keep the second syllable louder and longer than the others.
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