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
4
: environment, climate
the moral ecology
also
: an often delicate or intricate system or complex
the ecology of language
Examples of ecology in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Seen from this perspective, ecology cannot be reduced to questions of proximity alone.
—
Manuela Moscoso, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
That’s what led to an epic superbloom in 2017, Joan Dudney, an assistant professor of forest ecology at UC Santa Barbara, told The Times in 2024.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Anthrax ecology The bacteria that cause anthrax are forever associated with weapons that destroy people, overshadowing their ecologically complex role in animals and soils that sustain humanity.
—Hannah Kinzer, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
Each arrangement serves to launch the young on a journey suited to the ecology of its species.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ecology
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Manuela Moscoso, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
That’s what led to an epic superbloom in 2017, Joan Dudney, an assistant professor of forest ecology at UC Santa Barbara, told The Times in 2024.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Anthrax ecology The bacteria that cause anthrax are forever associated with weapons that destroy people, overshadowing their ecologically complex role in animals and soils that sustain humanity.
—Hannah Kinzer, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
Each arrangement serves to launch the young on a journey suited to the ecology of its species.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ecology
Cite this Entry
“Ecology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ecology. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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
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