biodiversity

noun

bio·​di·​ver·​si·​ty ˌbī-(ˌ)ō-də-ˈvər-sə-tē How to pronounce biodiversity (audio)
-dī-
: biological diversity in an environment as indicated by numbers of different species of plants and animals
biodiverse adjective

Did you know?

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

Recent Examples on the Web President Bill Clinton established the Agua Fria National Monument in 2000 to protect cultural resources, riparian forests and biodiversity in the area. Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 12 Mar. 2024 The Finnish filmmaker hopes her film will fuel the debate on forest preservation in Finland where 90% of forests are for commercial use, a reality which is being challenged by the EU biodiversity strategy aimed at protecting 30% of land and seas by 2030. Annika Pham, Variety, 2 Mar. 2024 The plan is a key part of the EU’s European Green Deal that seeks to establish the world’s most ambitious climate and biodiversity targets and make the bloc the global point of reference on all climate issues. Raf Casert, Quartz, 28 Feb. 2024 As part of the Green Initiative, the Kingdom has begun a massive conservation effort to rewild its deserts, protect endangered species, and restore native biodiversity. Adam H. Graham, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Feb. 2024 The mastermind behind the promotion of biodiversity in our wineries was my sister Caterina, who at the end of 2002 immediately decided to convert La Raia to organic and biodynamic farming, anticipating by far what has become a big trend in the farming industry in the recent years. John Mariani, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 The region is also rich in biodiversity and is a popular area for hikers. Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic, 26 Feb. 2024 In the face of catastrophic issues such as climate change and biodiversity loss, Tree makes a case for letting nature return to itself. Christine Chitnis, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2024 Loss of habitat is the top driver of a staggering global decline in biodiversity, the variety of life on earth. Catrin Einhorn, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'biodiversity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

bio- + diversity

First Known Use

1985, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of biodiversity was in 1985

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Dictionary Entries Near biodiversity

Cite this Entry

“Biodiversity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biodiversity. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

biodiversity

noun
bio·​di·​ver·​si·​ty -də-ˈvər-sət-ē How to pronounce biodiversity (audio)
-dī-
: biological variety in an environment as indicated by numbers of different species of plants and animals

More from Merriam-Webster on biodiversity

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