devolve

/dɪˈvɒɫv/

//dɪˈvɒɫv// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"devolve" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“devolve” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #37,886 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#37,886
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To be inherited by someone else; to pass down upon the next person in a succession, especially through failure or loss of an earlier holder.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

devolve vs devote
71% similar
devolve vs devotee
71% similar
devolve vs devolved
88% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for devolve
PropertyValue
Headworddevolve
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/dɪˈvɒɫv/
Letters7
Frequency rank#37,886
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “devolve” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). devolve lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for devolve is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪˈvɒɫv/. Corpus data places it at rank #37,886 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for devolve, with forms such as "ddevolve", "deovlve", and "devlove". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 5 confusable-pair relationships, "devote", "devotee", "devolved", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin dēvolvō (“roll or tumble off or down”), from dē + volvō (“roll”). The correct English form is devolve, spelled D-E-V-O-L-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To be inherited by someone else; to pass down upon the next person in a succession, especially through failure or loss of an earlier holder.
  2. 2
    To delegate (a responsibility, duty, etc.) on or upon someone.
  3. 3
    To delegate (a responsibility, duty, etc.) on or upon someone.
  4. 4
    To fall as a duty or responsibility on or upon someone.
  5. 5
    To fall as a duty or responsibility on or upon someone.
  6. 6
    To degenerate; to break down.
  7. 7
    To roll (something) down; to unroll.

Etymology

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

This word in other languages

delegar(Español)übergeben(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddevolve,deovlve,devlove,devolev,devollve,devolvve,devovle,devvolve,dveolve,edvolve

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of devolve - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ddevolve1deovlve2devlove2devolev2devollve1devolvve1devovle2devvolve1
Edit distance from "devolve"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "devolve"?
"devolve" is spelled D-E-V-O-L-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈvɒɫv/.
What does "devolve" mean?
As a verb, "devolve" means: To be inherited by someone else; to pass down upon the next person in a succession, especially through failure or loss of an earlier holder.
What words are commonly confused with "devolve"?
"devolve" is commonly confused with "devote", "devotee", "devolved". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "devolve"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "devolve" is /dɪˈvɒɫv/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "devolve"?
Borrowed from Latin dēvolvō (“roll or tumble off or down”), from dē + volvō (“roll”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “devolve”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-V-O-L-V-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /dɪˈvɒɫv/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “devote” - see the side-by-side comparison. devolve vs devote
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list