environmentalist

noun

en·​vi·​ron·​men·​tal·​ist in-ˌvī-rə(n)-ˈmen-tə-ləst 

-ˌvī(-ə)r(n)-

plural environmentalists

: an advocate of environmentalism : a person who is focused on the preservation, restoration, and improvement of the natural environment

While dams have been touted in the name of water conservation and clean, renewable energy, environmentalists have long challenged the claim that dams are "green" technology. The deleterious ecological impacts of dams, they insist, have been profound.

—Patrick Joseph

Meanwhile, environmentalists have responded that climate change and habitat loss due to development should require builders to think even more carefully about their projects.

—Emma Cotton et al.

Examples of environmentalist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Khosla has described it as a case of private property rights, while political leaders, surfers and environmentalists have said the issue could set a precedent about whether California’s beaches can be closed off by wealthy landowners. —Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2024

The Nimba Mountains are also home to one of Guinea’s largest iron ore reserves, which has raised concern among environmentalists about the impact of mining on chimpanzees. —Reuters, CNN, 21 Sep. 2024

Nash said Oakland's residents already invest far more heavily than Macomb's, and the usually mild-mannered former Sierra Club environmentalist of the year said so with a tone of exasperation. —Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 19 Sep. 2024

But environmentalists and many of the state's Democratic leaders contend that New Mexico is already doing its part by hosting WIPP. —Chuck McCutcheon, Axios, 17 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

environmentalist

noun

en·​vi·​ron·​men·​tal·​ist -ˌvī-rən-ˈment-ᵊl-əst 

-ˌvī(-ə)rn-

: a person concerned about environmental quality and especially with controlling pollution

Medical Definition

environmentalist

noun

en·​vi·​ron·​men·​tal·​ist -ᵊl-əst 

1

: an advocate of environmentalism

2

: one concerned about environmental quality especially of the human environment with respect to the control of pollution