phenology

[ fi-nol-uh-jee ]

noun
  1. the science dealing with the influence of climate on the recurrence of such annual phenomena of animal and plant life as budding and bird migrations.

Origin of phenology

1
First recorded in 1880–85; contracted variant of phenomenology, with restriction to climatic phenomena

Other words from phenology

  • phe·no·log·i·cal [feen-l-oj-i-kuhl], /ˌfin lˈɒdʒ ɪ kəl/, adjective
  • phe·no·log·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • phe·nol·o·gist, noun

Words Nearby phenology

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

How to use phenology in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for phenology

phenology

/ (fɪˈnɒlədʒɪ) /


noun
  1. the study of recurring phenomena, such as animal migration, esp as influenced by climatic conditions

Origin of phenology

1
C19: from pheno (menon) + -logy

Derived forms of phenology

  • phenological (ˌfiːnəˈlɒdʒɪkəl), adjective
  • phenologist, 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 phenology

phenology

[ fĭ-nŏlə-jē ]


  1. The scientific study of cyclical biological events, such as flowering, breeding, and migration, in relation to climatic conditions. Phenological records of the dates on which seasonal phenomena occur provide important information on how climate change affects ecosystems over time.

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