environmentalist
Americannoun
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an expert on environmental problems.
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any person who advocates or works to protect the air, water, animals, plants, and other natural resources from pollution or its effects.
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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 (opposed to hereditarian).
noun
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an adherent of environmentalism
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a person who is concerned with the maintenance of ecological balance and the conservation of the environment
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a person concerned with issues that affect the environment, such as pollution
Other Word Forms
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:
Explanation
If you're a true environmentalist, you care deeply enough about the natural world to make protecting it a real priority. You may even have made it your life's work. These days, there's no shortage of work for the world's environmentalists. What with climate change, oil spills, gas drilling, deforestation, and species decline (just to name a few), there's almost no time to breathe. Show me an environmentalist with nothing to do, and I'll show you someone who isn't paying attention. Environmentalists — people who work to protect the environment — often work hand in hand with conservationists, whose job is to protect and maintain as much of the natural world as possible.
Vocabulary lists containing environmentalist
Words with 15 or More Letters, List 1
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"Handle with Care"
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Jane Goodall (1934–2025) Tribute List
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Environmentalist Meera Shah claims it could also "destroy" Pulicat lake, the second-largest saltwater lake in the country.
From BBC • Jan. 23, 2024
Environmentalist protesters shut down part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Northern Virginia during Wednesday morning’s commute.
From Washington Times • Apr. 26, 2023
Environmentalist groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, have called for more protections for the whales.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 29, 2022
Environmentalist Bruce Reznik, whose group Los Angeles Waterkeeper filed lawsuits that pressured the county to adopt Measure W, is supportive but also sees room for improvement.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2022
Environmentalist Azzam Alwash said there was an urgent need for Iraq to commit to a long-term water management strategy as its fast-growing population of nearly 40 million is estimated to double by 2050.
From Reuters • Oct. 14, 2021
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
