Nov 28 2019 27
Devolve is a verb that means to transfer or be passed on to another.
Our word of the day is often thought of as the opposite of the word evolve, and it is true that, like evolve, its origin is in the Latin word volvere (VOL vair ay) meaning ‘rolling.’ The addition of the prefix D-E, meaning ‘down’ gets us a word that means ‘rolling down.’ So devolve may mean ‘to degenerate through change or evolution.’ And it also refers to a right or responsibility that ‘rolls down’ from one person to the next. For example: Handling the Johnson account has devolved from my boss to me. I am now accountable for whatever happens in this case.
