anthropause

[ an-throh-pawz ]

noun
  1. a significant temporary reduction in human activity worldwide, as during a pandemic, that noticeably affects environmental phenomena such as levels of air pollution, the movements of wildlife, and even seismic noise: The anthropause occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic may inspire people and governments to mobilize for meaningful ecological reform.

Origin of anthropause

1
First recorded in 2020 in the online scientific journal Nature Ecology and Evolution

Words Nearby anthropause

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023