ecologist

American  

[ih-kol-uh-jist, ee-kol-] / ɪˈkɒl ə dʒɪst, iˈkɒl- /

noun

• ecologists
  plural

1. a scientist or researcher whose field of study involves the relationships and interactions between organisms and their environment.

   Ecosystem ecologists study how nutrients, energy, and water flow through an ecosystem.

2. an environmentalist.

   Like climate change activists and ecologists around the world, I feel passionately that the issue is crucial to the long-term well-being of the human race.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• ecologists
  plural

Etymology

Origin of ecologist

ecolog(y) ( def. ) + -ist ( def. )

Explanation

An ecologist is a scientist who studies how animals and plants interact with their environment. If you spend hours watching television shows about animals, maybe you’ve got an ecologist inside you trying to get out. To be an ecologist, first you have to learn about ecology — the study of organisms and how they relate to their environment. Ecology is a word that comes from the Greek oikos, meaning “house.” Basically, ecologists study the environment like it’s a big house, and all the living creatures in it are roommates. Sounds like a lot of work, and it is.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ecologist ecologists

You have to ask, “what are we doing to the planet and does that mean we will encounter more diseases?” said Janet Foley, a disease ecologist at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

Shannon LaDeau, a disease ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, worked on that study.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026

Dr Barry Traill, a wildlife ecologist and volunteer firefighter, is one of the ten litigants.

From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026

"The Vjosa-Narta landscape, including the Zvernec region, is one of Albania's most valuable natural ecosystems, and its importance extends far beyond the country's borders", Olsi Nika, a biologist and aquatic ecologist, said at the protest.

From Barron's ● Jun. 20, 2026

You could become a zoologist, a biologist, an anthropologist, or an ecologist.

From "My Life with the Chimpanzees" by Jane Goodall

Homeowner associations and ecologists argued for more lenient rules, saying plants carried health benefits and stricter regulations burdened homeowners.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

After studying a few of these, the ecologists concluded that these crossings were more likely to be used by bats if they were well designed and positioned along existing flight routes.

From Slate ● Apr. 28, 2026

Some ecologists argue that residents should be able to keep green plants they say do not pose a major fire threat and bring a plethora of benefits, including bolstering the urban ecosystem.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 25, 2026

The project brings together a coalition of ecologists, community growers, transport authorities, cultural institutions, football clubs and residents who will work together on conservation efforts along the 14-mile stretch.

From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026

Even with slash-and-burn, ecologists say, the forest can take as much as a hundred years to return completely to its previous state.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

• biologist
• botanist
• conservationist
• environmentalist
• zoologist