ecology

noun

ecol·​o·​gy i-ˈkä-lə-jē 

e-

plural ecologies

1

: a branch of science concerned with the interrelationship of organisms and their environments

2

: the totality or pattern of relations between organisms and their environment

3

: human ecology

4

: environment, climate

the moral ecology

also : an often delicate or intricate system or complex

the ecology of language

ecologist

i-ˈkä-lə-jist 

e-

noun

Examples of ecology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In ecology, for example, marine organisms from bacteria to whales display the same pattern. —Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Sep. 2023

On the approximately 2½-hour journey, staff guides provide insight on the fascinating coastal ecology. —Patricia Harris and David Lyon, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2023

The Discovery Center, Superintendent Bradybaugh and others said, is aimed at extending the park experience beyond its borders and by educating visitors – especially youth – about the area’s history, ecology, cultural traditions and agriculture. —Mark Eddington, The Salt Lake Tribune, 23 Aug. 2023

Guided nature walks at Kumeyaay Lake A Mission Trails Regional Park guide will lead a nature walk at Kumeyaay Lake from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Aug. 12 with information on the plants, animals, geology, history and ecology of the park. —Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Aug. 2023

The message during the wildfires in Tenerife, from Spain’s ecology minister to President Pedro Sánchez, was clear: Save people and their belongings first, and the forest area second. —Colette Davidson, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Sep. 2023

Road ecology has revealed the perils of reckless development and pointed us toward solutions. —Ben Goldfarb, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Sep. 2023

Stuart Pimm, a professor of conservation ecology at Duke University, agrees. —Amy Mathews Amos, Scientific American, 4 Sep. 2023

Increasing temperatures over the course of the morning and into the afternoon, as well as decreasing humidity, would have sapped the moisture from the grasses, said Mark Thorne, a professor of rangeland ecology at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. —Brianna Sacks, Washington Post, 2 Sep. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

German Ökologie, from öko- eco- + -logie -logy

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ecology

• deep ecology
• human ecology

• deep ecology
• human ecology

Kids Definition

ecology

noun

ecol·​o·​gy i-ˈkäl-ə-jē 

e-

1

: a branch of science concerned with the relationships between living things and their environment

2

: the pattern of relationships between a group of living things and their environment

ecological

ˌē-kə-ˈläj-i-kəl  ˌek-ə- 

adjective

also ecologic

-ˈläj-ik 

ecologically

-ˈläj-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

ecology

noun

ecol·​o·​gy -jē 

plural ecologies

1

: a branch of science concerned with the interrelationship of organisms and their environments

2

: the totality or pattern of relations between organisms and their environment

3

: human ecology

ecological

ˌē-kə-ˈläj-i-kəl  ˌek-ə- 

adjective

also ecologic

-ik 

ecologically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb