devolution

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A passing down or descent through successive stages of time or a process.
2. n. Transference, as of rights or qualities, to a successor.
3. n. Delegation of authority or duties to a subordinate or substitute.
4. n. A transfer of powers from a central government to local units.
5. n. Biology Degeneration.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The act of rolling down.
2. n. The act of devolving, transferring, or handing over; transmission from one person to another; a passing or falling to a successor, as of office, authority, or real estate.
3. n. In Scots law: The reference made by two or more arbiters who differ in opinion to an oversman or umpire to determine the difference.
4. n. The falling of a purchase made under articles of roup to the next highest offerer, on the failure of the highest bidder to find caution for payment of the price within the time limited by the articles.
5. n. The opposite of evolution; degeneration.

Wiktionary

1. n. A rolling down.
2. n. A descent, especially one that passes through a series of revolutions, or by succession
3. n. The transference of a right to a successor, or of a power from one body to another.
4. n. pejorative Degeneration (as opposed to evolution).
5. n. UK The transfer of some powers, and the delegation of some functions, from a central sovereign government to local government; eg. from Westminster to Scottish parliament and Welsh assembly.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. rare The act of rolling down.
2. n. Transference from one person to another; a passing or devolving upon a successor.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. the delegation of authority (especially from a central to a regional government)
2. n. the process of declining from a higher to a lower level of effective power or vitality or essential quality