biodiversity
noun
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Biodiversity may become the rallying call for the next decade, wrote David Wake in the journal Science in 1989. Indeed, biodiversity is a word you're likely to encounter in writing about ecology and the environment today. But when Wake used it, "biodiversity" was still a relatively new addition to the English language, having first appeared in writing in the mid-1980s. Of course, the roots of biodiversity are much older. It evolved from a commingling of the descendants of the Greek noun bios, which means "mode of life," and the Latin verb divertere, which means "to turn aside" or "to go different ways."
Examples of biodiversity in a Sentence
Benji Jones, Vox, 23 May 2025
The poop is likely helping to reduce the impacts of climate change on the continent, further highlighting the necessity of protecting native ecosystems and biodiversity, which are critical to mitigating climate change.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 22 May 2025
Prescription agriculture promotes ecological sustainability by minimizing chemical runoff and preserving biodiversity.
—Tom Gauthier, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
Carbon capture fuels avoid the environmental pitfalls of traditional biofuels, which often rely on monoculture crops like sugarcane that can damage biodiversity and compete with food production.
—Megan Frye, CNN Money, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for biodiversity
Cite this Entry
“Biodiversity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biodiversity. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
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biodiversity
noun
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