devolution: Meaning and Definition of

dev•o•lu•tion

Pronunciation: (dev"u-l'shun or, esp. Brit., dē'vu-), [key]
— n.
  1. the act or fact of devolving; passage onward from stage to stage.
  2. the passing on to a successor of an unexercised right.
  3. the passing of property from one to another, as by hereditary succession.
  4. degeneration.
  5. the transfer of power or authority from a central government to a local government.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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