macroevolution

M3A1C3R1O1E1V4O1L1U1T1I1O1N1

noun

Large-scale patterns or processes in the history of life, including the origins of novel organism designs, evolutionary trends, adaptive radiations and extinctions.

OriginEnglish evolution ← French macro- ← Ancient Greek μᾰκρός (măkrós) →
UncommonScrabble 21
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Meanings

nounmacroevolution (usually uncountable, plural macroevolutions)

plural macroevolutions

  1. uncountableusuallyLarge-scale patterns or processes in the history of life, including the origins of novel organism designs, evolutionary trends, adaptive radiations and extinctions.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*meh₂ḱ-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*mh₂ḱrós
  3. Proto-Hellenic*makrós
  4. Ancient Greekμᾰκρός (măkrós)
  5. Frenchmacro-
  6. Englishmacro-
  7. Englishevolution
  8. Englishmacroevolution

From macro- + evolution.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic اَلتَّطَوُّر اَلْكَبِير
  • اَلتَّطَوُّر اَلْكَبِير (at-taṭawwur al-kabīr)large-scale patterns or processes in the history of life
Catalan macroevolució
  • macroevoluciólarge-scale patterns or processes in the history of life
Greek μακροεξέλιξη
  • μακροεξέλιξη (makroexélixi)large-scale patterns or processes in the history of life
Spanish macroevolución
  • macroevoluciónlarge-scale patterns or processes in the history of life
Cite this entry
APA

macroevolution. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/macroevolution

MLA

“macroevolution.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/macroevolution. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “macroevolution,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/macroevolution.

Source: macroevolution on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.