devolve

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. verb pass on or delegate to another
  2. verb be inherited by
  3. verb grow worse

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin dēvolvō (“roll or tumble off or down”), from dē- + volvō (“roll”).

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