ecology

noun

ecol·o·gy | \ i-ˈkä-lə-jē

, e-\

plural ecologies

Definition of ecology

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

Other Words from ecology More Example Sentences Learn More about ecology

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Examples of ecology in a Sentence

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Houses compete to produce the most eye-catching, inventive and flamboyant show invitations delivered often by gas-guzzling courier to each guest’s personal or professional address with little thought to ecology. — Thomas Adamson, The Seattle Times, "Starry Saint Laurent show in Paris sees models walk on water," 25 Sep. 2018 Which is exactly what’s on the horizon for Potts, and for paleogeologists like Andrew Cohen, a professor of geosciences, ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona who has worked with Potts in the past. — Lorraine Boissoneault, Smithsonian, "Colored Pigments and Complex Tools Suggest Humans Were Trading 100,000 Years Earlier Than Previously Believed," 16 Mar. 2018 Grassland would likely need continual help pushing out invasive species, says Rebecca Swab, director of restoration ecology at a private Ohio conservation park called The Wilds. — Leslie Nemo, Scientific American, "From Defiled to Wild—Can a Spent Coal Mine Be Reborn as a Nature Conservation Center?," 11 July 2018 But more than gee-whiz facts, the book is aligned with Washington state core science-learning standards to step kids through the fundamentals of the ecology of the Salish Sea. — Lynda V. Mapes, The Seattle Times, "New children’s book dives deep into the Salish Sea," 23 Apr. 2018 The philosophy stresses a balance between agriculture and a site’s permanent ecology — its soil, water and climate. — Kevin Childs, New York Times, "An Australian Environmentalist’s Next Act: ‘Frugal Hedonism’," 13 May 2018 However, galleries in the middle segment of the market are having a hard time surviving, and if many of them close their doors, that is bad for the ecology of the art world. — Gaby Del Valle, Vox, "Why is art so expensive?," 31 Oct. 2018 Much more stands to be erased in the canal project — entire towns and villages, as well as the ecology of Istanbul’s main water source. — New York Times, "A Canal Through Turkey? Presidential Vote Is a Test of Erdogan’s Building Spree," 21 June 2018 But instead of single-mindedly constraining the river at the expense of its ecology, sediment diversions strategically allow the river to act naturally. — Nate Berg, Curbed, "Can engineering save Louisiana’s coastline?," 7 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ecology.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.