evolutionevolution

Evolution is borrowed from Latin ēvolūtiō ‘unrolling (of a book)’, from ēvolūtus, past participle of ēvolvō ‘to unroll’.

1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvolvō¹‘to roll’
2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEēvolvō¹‘to unroll, unfold’
3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEēvolūtus¹‘unrolled’perfect passive participle of ēvolvō
4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEēvolūtiō¹‘unrolling (of a book)’
5. Englishearliest quotation 1751evolution¹

1. ¹ Wiktionary, English evolution
2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1751, Tobias Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […]: “Mean while, he never failed to be present, when…”.