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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Kentucky and Tennessee probably will get the most cicadas this year, said John Cooley, an ecology and biology associate professor in residence at the University of Connecticut. Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 11 May 2025 Between excursions, guests can unwind in the wellness center, enjoy the sauna, stay active in the fitness studio, or attend presentations in the lecture theater by world-class polar experts who bring the region’s ecology, history, and geology to life. Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 9 May 2025 The Montana native—who double majored in cognitive studies along with ecology, evolution and organismal biology—has been affiliated with Reserve Officers' Training Corps since high school, making her route decidedly clearer than some of her counterparts. Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025 Rattlesnakes usually come out in North Carolina when the weather starts to warm up, Skylar Hopkins, an assistant professor of applied ecology at NC State University, told The Charlotte Observer. Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 12 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for ecology

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

Cite this Entry

“Ecology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ecology. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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
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