ecocide

[ ek-uh-sahyd, ee-kuh- ]

noun

1. the destruction of large areas of the natural environment by such activity as nuclear warfare, overexploitation of resources, or dumping of harmful chemicals.

ecocide

/ ˈiːkəˌsaɪd; ˈɛkə- /

noun

1. total destruction of an area of the natural environment, esp by human agency

Other Words From

• eco·cidal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ecocide¹

An Americanism dating back to 1965–70; eco- + -cide

Example Sentences

The third way an ecocide law could be useful is by prosecuting environmental crimes that fall outside of national jurisdictions.

From Time

If we had had an ecocide law, things would have turned out differently.

From Time

In December 2020, lawyers from around the world gathered to begin drafting a legal definition of ecocide.

From Time

If adopted, experts say there are three main areas where an ecocide law would make a difference.

From Time

On the other hand, if the bar is set too low—if the ecocide law encompasses too many types of alleged environmentally destructive acts, and implicates too many types of people and institutions—it may lose political support.

From Time