ecological

adjective

eco·​log·​i·​cal ˌē-kə-ˈlä-ji-kəl  ˌe-kə- 

variants or less commonly ecologic

ˌē-kə-ˈlä-jik 

ˌe-kə-

1

: of or relating to the science of ecology

ecological studies

2

: of or relating to the environments of living things or to the relationships between living things and their environments

The ecological effects of the turf monoculture become even more troubling as large tracts, such as golf courses, displace whole ecosystems in a single stroke.

—Adelheid Fischer

In every community in nature, each type of organism has its own specialized role to play in what is called an ecological niche.

—William Threlfall

Rush was scoffing at concerns that the schools of sharks gathering off the coast of Florida might be an indication of some harmful ecological change.

—Al Franken

The chief of a new environmental protection committee, Fyodor Morgun, blamed the "ill-considered drive to build gigantic plants" for a Pandora's box of ecological problems, including air and water pollution.

—William R. Doerner et al.

3

: of or relating to human ecology

Ecological data suggest that in rural areas the availability of family physicians is associated with reduced mortality rate after adjustment for demographic and economic factors.

—Peter Franks et al.

ecologically

ˌē-kə-ˈlä-ji-k(ə-)lē 

ˌe-kə-

adverb

… an ecologically rich river basin …

—Cultural Survival Quarterly

Sustainable agricultural practices involve making choices that are not only ecologically sound but also economically viable and socially just.

—Karin Springen

Examples of ecological in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The initiative, led by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and collaborators in the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP), aims to scale up the placement of young corals by combining decades of ecological knowledge with advances in marine robotics and artificial intelligence. —Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 1 Dec. 2025

The Department of Agriculture, for example, views feral cats as the source of multiple issues both ecological and sociological. —Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2025

This year’s 20th anniversary lineup prioritizes films carrying sincerity, urgency, and cultural resonance, addressing displacement, ecological trauma, youth identity, and artistic rebellion. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 Nov. 2025

The group reportedly insisted the dye posed no ecological threat. —Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 25 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for ecological

• analogical
• astrological
• biological
• christological
• chronological
• cosmological
• cytological
• dialogical
• ethnological
• ethological
• geological
• histological