coevolution

noun

co·​evo·​lu·​tion ˌkō-ˌe-və-ˈlü-shən How to pronounce coevolution (audio)
also -ˌē-və-
: evolution involving successive changes in two or more ecologically interdependent species (as of a plant and its pollinators) that affect their interactions
coevolutionary
ˌkō-ˌe-və-ˈlü-shə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce coevolution (audio)
also -ˌē-və-
adjective
coevolve
ˌkō-i-ˈvälv How to pronounce coevolution (audio)
-ˈvȯlv
intransitive verb

Examples of coevolution in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Yet in the course of our coevolution their eyes have come to mimic human eyes. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 25 May 2026 Our success in coevolution — our success as a productive society — is only as good as the strength of the bonds with other individuals and species. — Big Think, 28 Aug. 2025 The coevolution of language and culture makes a fascinating study, as one journalist learned during a stint at Merriam-Webster. — Barbara Spindel, Christian Science Monitor, 6 Jan. 2026 Every living thing on Earth has been honed by millions of years of evolution and coevolution alongside all the other creatures and the planet’s different environments. — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 15 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for coevolution

Word History

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of coevolution was in 1964

Rhymes for coevolution

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Browse Nearby Words

coevality
coevolution
coexecutor
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Cite this Entry

“Coevolution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coevolution. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

coevolution

noun
co·​evo·​lu·​tion ˌkō-ˌev-ə-ˈlü-shən How to pronounce coevolution (audio)
-ˌē-və-
: evolution occurring in two interdependent species (as a flowering plant and a pollinator) in which long-term adaptive changes are influenced by their close interactions

More from Merriam-Webster on coevolution

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about coevolution

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