environmentalist

[en-vahy-ruhn-men-tl-ist, -vahy-ern-]

noun

1. an expert on environmental problems.

2. any person who advocates or works to protect the air, water, animals, plants, and other natural resources from pollution or its effects.

3. a person who believes that differences between individuals or groups, especially in moral and intellectual attributes, are predominantly determined by environmental factors, as surroundings, upbringing, or experience (hereditarian ).

environmentalist

/ ɪnˌvaɪrənˈmɛntəlɪst /

noun

1. an adherent of environmentalism

2. a person who is concerned with the maintenance of ecological balance and the conservation of the environment

3. a person concerned with issues that affect the environment, such as pollution

Other Word Forms

• environmentalism noun
• antienvironmentalist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of environmentalist¹

First recorded in 1915–20; environmental ( def. ) + -ist

Example Sentences

For some environmentalists, the Chevron refinery fire has underscored why it’s necessary to transition away from fossil fuels altogether.

From Los Angeles Times

“Nature has always been in my bones, in my cells,” Fonda said in a recent interview, describing herself as an environmentalist since her tomboy youth.

From Los Angeles Times

State officials and local environmentalists have repeatedly raised concerns about the pipes’ capacity to run safely, as well as the process the company has taken to try to fast-track their revitalization over the last year.

From Los Angeles Times

Last year, the California Mountain Lion Project — a research effort headed by academics and environmentalists — revealed that previous projections of the wild mountain lion population in California were incorrect.

From Los Angeles Times

But in the last decade, environmentalists and others have pushed for less palm plantings and more native trees.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ecologist