Synonyms

tree-hugger

American

[tree-huhg-er] / ˈtriˌhʌg ər /

noun

an environmentalist, especially one concerned with preserving forests.

tree-hugger British

/ ˈtriːˌhʌɡə /

noun

informal an environmental campaigner

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

tree-hugging

adjective

Etymology

Origin of tree-hugger

First recorded in 1985–90

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.

I am a tree hugger, gardener and lover of Mother Nature.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 19, 2021

Whether you’re a tree hugger or a climate change denier, you should get behind this development.

From Washington Times • Oct. 23, 2019

Weighing In No lion roars here no wild tree hugger though I do love trees.

From New York Times • Nov. 15, 2018

Lest you imagine Goodall as a sweet, grandmotherly tree hugger, think again.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 20, 2017

In 2002, Merriam published one more addendum to the Third with entries—propeller head, tree hugger, golden handcuffs—already prepared for the new Collegiate edition the following year.

From Slate • Jan. 12, 2015

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023