ethology

noun

ethol·​o·​gy ē-ˈthä-lə-jē 

1

: a branch of knowledge dealing with human character and with its formation and evolution

2

: the scientific and objective study of animal behavior especially under natural conditions

ethological

ˌē-thə-ˈlä-ji-kəl 

ˌe-thə-

adjective

ethologist

ē-ˈthä-lə-jist 

noun

Examples of ethology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Darwinian ideas, and the many scientific inquiries that came from them, including ethology, had to replace the idea of an all-causing God, and the idea that things existed just because. — Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026

At the time, the fields of primatology, ethology, anthropology, and all of science were incredibly male-dominated. — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025

Goodall later earned a PhD in ethology, the study of animal behavior, from the University of Cambridge. — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2025

Research professor Daniel Kruger with the University of Michigan and University at Buffalo works with ethology, the study of human behavior through a biological lens. — Amanda Kooser, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024

Starting in 1961, Goodall returned periodically to Cambridge for what became four years of doctoral studies in ethology. — Ralph Blumenthal, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024

Melissa Bateson, a professor of ethology at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom, has studied ways to communicate with animals and consulted with Cronin. — Lorna Collier, Discover Magazine, 3 May 2016

Word History

Etymology

Greek ethos + English -logy

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ethology

• anthology
• apology
• astrology
• biology
• christology
• chronology
• conchology
• cosmology
• cryptology
• cytology
• doxology
• ecology

Kids Definition

ethology

noun

ethol·​o·​gy ē-ˈthäl-ə-jē 

: the scientific study of animal behavior

Medical Definition

ethology

noun

ethol·​o·​gy ē-ˈthäl-ə-jē 

plural ethologies

: the scientific and objective study of animal behavior especially under natural conditions

ethological

ˌē-thə-ˈläj-i-kəl  ˌeth-ə- 

adjective