ecology

Archaic, oe·col·o·gy

[ih-kol-uh-jee, ee-kol-]

noun

plural

ecologies 

1. the branch of biology dealing with the relations and interactions between organisms and their environment, including other organisms.

2. the set of relationships existing between organisms and their environment.

   Inflowing rivers introduce nutrients and sediments that are important for the ecology of the lake.

3. the set of relationships existing between any complex system and its surroundings or environment.

   In the ecology of healthcare, both politics and technology play a key role.

4. Also called human ecology. the branch of sociology concerned with the spacing and interdependence of people and institutions.

5. advocacy for the protection of natural resources from pollution or its effects; environmentalism.

ecology

/ ɪˈkɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the study of the relationships between living organisms and their environment

2. the set of relationships of a particular organism with its environment

3. the study of the relationships between human groups and their physical environment

ecology

1. The scientific study of the relationships between living things and their environments.

2. Also called bionomics

3. A system of such relationships within a particular environment.

ecology

1. The study of living things, their environment, and the relation between the two.

Other Word Forms

• ecological adjective
• ecologic adjective
• ecologically adverb
• ecologist noun
• unecological adjective
• unecologically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of ecology¹

First recorded in 1870–75; earlier oecology, from German Ökologie, from Greek oîk(os) “house, dwelling” + -o- + German -logie -logy; term introduced by E. H. Haeckel (1834–1919)

Word History and Origins

Origin of ecology¹

C19: from German Ökologie, from Greek oikos house (hence, environment)

Synonym Study

See ecosystem ( def. ).

Example Sentences

Their work applies population ecology theory to quantify the forces that shaped urbanization across the Classic Maya Lowlands.

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Well-illustrated with historical photographs and incorporating a consideration of trade, economics and ecology, this is one of those rare books that makes you think differently about an entire sector of the built environment.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“The panda reintroduction program began in 2003 with a team made up of researchers from many fields, including ecology, behavioral science,veterinary, and feeding management,” explains Suzanne Braden of Pandas International.

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The EAC urged the government to instead focus on addressing a skills shortage in ecology, planning and construction.

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We can never draw too much of a wider inference from the strange social and cultural ecology of the place.

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Related Words

• conservation 
• preservation