ecology

noun

ecol·​o·​gy i-ˈkä-lə-jē How to pronounce ecology (audio)
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
4
: environment, climate
the moral ecology
also : an often delicate or intricate system or complex
the ecology of language
ecologist 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 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ecology.' 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

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

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ecology was in 1875

Dictionary Entries Near ecology

Cite this Entry

“Ecology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ecology. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

ecology

noun
ecol·​o·​gy i-ˈkäl-ə-jē How to pronounce ecology (audio)
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 adjective
also ecologic
ecologically adverb

Medical Definition

ecology

noun
ecol·​o·​gy -jē How to pronounce ecology (audio)
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
ecological adjective
also ecologic
ecologically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on ecology

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!