phenology

noun

phe·​nol·​o·​gy fi-ˈnä-lə-jē How to pronounce phenology (audio)
1
: a branch of science dealing with the relations between climate and periodic biological phenomena (such as bird migration or plant flowering)
2
: periodic biological phenomena that are correlated with climatic conditions
phenological adjective
phenologically adverb

Examples of phenology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Many research projects have used specimens to study everything from climate change to invasive species, and disease spread to phenology. Guest, Discover Magazine, 12 Oct. 2017 But shifts in phenology can have major downstream effects that change ecosystems and, in turn, impact local people. Anna Funk, Discover Magazine, 5 Aug. 2022 From leaves changing color to flower buds opening on a daffodil, phenology simply means the study of observable phases in plant and animal life, called phenophases, and anyone can learn to do it. Marianne Willburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Mar. 2023 If birds aren’t your thing, take time to smell the flowers, then share the flower’s location and life cycle stage with Project BudBurst, a nationwide phenology monitoring program with a robust collection of curriculum and other materials for educators and families. Jenny Cutraro, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2016 Observing and recording these events is called phenology in academic terms. Marianne Willburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Mar. 2023 The study of phenology, which centers on the seasonal life cycles of plants and animals, shows that peak bloom dates are inching earlier as weather patterns in the district trend warmer. Emma Ricketts, WIRED, 1 Apr. 2023 Gardening writing had its phenology, too. New York Times, 28 July 2021 Meet the SciStarter team and get involved in citizen science to collect microbes from soil for drug discoveries, track air quality, monitor phenology, map tress, build your own ZomBEE trap and more! Citizen Science Salon, Discover Magazine, 21 Apr. 2015

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

phenomena + -logy

First Known Use

circa 1884, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of phenology was circa 1884

Dictionary Entries Near phenology

Cite this Entry

“Phenology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phenology. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.

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