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 question of how to protect fish and the ecological health of rivers that feed California’s largest estuary is generating heated debate in a series of hearings in Sacramento, as state officials try to gain support for a plan that has been years in the making. —Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026

Wave After Wave spans a century, exploring human and ecological transformation through a tender, complicated bond. —Kirby Adams, Louisville Courier Journal, 29 Jan. 2026

In this sense, their capacity to coordinate with other species, as well as to adjust their behavior dynamically based on the actions of those partners, emphasizes just how dynamic their ecological interactions are beyond simple solitary predation. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026

Predator species are crucial to the state’s ecological systems, keeping populations of prey animals like deer and elk from growing too large and boosting biodiversity. —Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 28 Jan. 2026

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