ecocide

American  

[ek-uh-sahyd, ee-kuh-] / ˈɛk əˌsaɪd, ˈi kə- /

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.

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ecocide British  

/ ˈiːkəˌsaɪd, ˈɛkə- /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

• ecocidal adjective

Etymology

Origin of ecocide

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

Example Sentences

Allan later became a campaigner on environmental issues and, earlier this year, urged the Scottish government to back an "ecocide" bill designed to penalise companies that caused severe or widespread damage to the natural environment.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

On land, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Monday that Israeli strikes on Tehran fuel depots constituted "ecocide", contaminating soil and groundwater and causing long-term risks to people's health.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

Mr. Pitts dismisses this ecocide narrative and places the blame for environmental degradation where it belongs: with colonial intruders.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

The so-called ecocide narrative argues that deforestation led to conflict and population decline before Europeans arrived in the 18th century, turning the island into a cautionary tale about overconsumption.

From Science Daily • Feb. 10, 2026

An international campaign currently underway calls for an amendment to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court to add ecocide as a fifth prosecutable crime alongside genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression.

From Salon • Apr. 30, 2025