ecology

[ ih-kol-uh-jee, ee-kol- ]
See synonyms for: ecologyecologicalecologist on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural e·col·o·gies for defs. 2, 3.
  1. the branch of biology dealing with the relations and interactions between organisms and their environment, including other organisms.

  2. the set of relationships existing between organisms and their environment: Inflowing rivers introduce nutrients and sediments that are important for the ecology of the lake.

  1. the set of relationships existing between any complex system and its surroundings or environment: In the ecology of healthcare, both politics and technology play a key role.

  2. Also called human ecology . the branch of sociology concerned with the spacing and interdependence of people and institutions.

  3. advocacy for the protection of natural resources from pollution or its effects; environmentalism.

Origin of ecology

1
First recorded in 1870–75; earlier oecology, from German Ökologie, from Greek oîk(os) “house, dwelling” + -o- + German -logie -logy; term introduced by E. H. Haeckel (1834–1919)
  • Also Archaic, oe·col·o·gy .

synonym study For ecology

1, 2. See ecosystem.

Other words from ecology

  • ec·o·log·i·cal [ek-uh-loj-i-kuhl, ee-kuh-], /ˌɛk əˈlɒdʒ ɪ kəl, ˌi kə-/, ec·o·log·ic, adjective
  • ec·o·log·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • e·col·o·gist, noun
  • un·ec·o·log·i·cal, adjective
  • un·ec·o·log·i·cal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use ecology in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ecology

ecology

/ (ɪˈkɒlədʒɪ) /


noun
  1. the study of the relationships between living organisms and their environment

  2. the set of relationships of a particular organism with its environment

  1. the study of the relationships between human groups and their physical environment

Origin of ecology

1
C19: from German Ökologie, from Greek oikos house (hence, environment)
  • Also called (for senses 1, 2): bionomics

Derived forms of ecology

  • ecologist, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for ecology

ecology

[ ĭ-kŏlə-jē ]


  1. The scientific study of the relationships between living things and their environments. Also called bionomics

  2. A system of such relationships within a particular environment.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for ecology

ecology

The study of living things, their environment, and the relation between the two.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.