environmentalist

American  

[en-vahy-ruhn-men-tl-ist, -vahy-ern-] / ɛnˌvaɪ rənˈmɛn tl ɪst, -ˌvaɪ ərn- /

noun

1. an expert on environmental problems.

2. any person who advocates or works to protect the air, water, animals, plants, and other natural resources from pollution or its effects.

3. a person who believes that differences between individuals or groups, especially in moral and intellectual attributes, are predominantly determined by environmental factors, as surroundings, upbringing, or experience (hereditarian ).

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environmentalist British  

/ ɪnˌvaɪrənˈmɛntəlɪst /

noun

1. an adherent of environmentalism

2. a person who is concerned with the maintenance of ecological balance and the conservation of the environment

3. a person concerned with issues that affect the environment, such as pollution

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Other Word Forms

• antienvironmentalist noun
• environmentalism noun

Etymology

Origin of environmentalist

First recorded in 1915–20; environmental ( def. ) + -ist

Compare meaning

How does environmentalist compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• conservationist vs. environmentalist

Example Sentences

He immersed himself in the natural world and befriended the pioneering German environmentalist, Alexander von Humboldt.

From Los Angeles Times

But plans to expand Plant A by two units have alarmed environmentalists, especially with Turkey preparing to host COP31, where the shift away from fossil fuels will be a central theme.

From Barron's

But environmentalists who have long warned about the risks of rampant deforestation fear the current response will not solve the problem, and could even make it worse.

From Barron's

Besides being costly, the projects have historically faced criticism from local residents and environmentalists.

From The Wall Street Journal

Many environmentalists, however, are sceptical of this claim.

From BBC

Related Words

• ecologist