wildlife

American  

[wahyld-lahyf] / ˈwaɪldˌlaɪf /

noun

1. undomesticated animals living in the wild, including those hunted for food, sport, or profit.

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adjective

1. of, for, or abounding in wildlife.

   a wildlife preserve.

wildlife British  

/ ˈwaɪldˌlaɪf /

noun

1. wild animals and plants collectively

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Etymology

Origin of wildlife

First recorded in 1930–35; wild + life

Explanation

Animals that aren't tamed or domesticated are collectively known as wildlife. One of the things people love about visiting the Galapagos Islands is seeing all the unusual wildlife. All of the wild animals that live in a particular area (and sometimes the plants as well) fall under the category of wildlife. If you're dedicated to protecting wildlife, it means you care about keeping native animals from being harmed by humans. A wildlife refuge or sanctuary is a place where animals can roam without being hunted, and native plants grow freely.

Example Sentences

This spring, several temporary water sources were put in, an effort led by state and federal wildlife officials, according to Aiello, who helped out as a volunteer.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

But now people have a month to offer their views about which species of wildlife should be honoured on the £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

Ligon grew up in Ethel and spent summers during college rehabilitating wildlife in Costa Rica and Louisiana.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

To investigate the program's long-term impact, Dr. Pettersson accompanied wildlife rangers working in the Arctic.

From Science Daily • Jun. 1, 2026

Right now, I’m researching if there’s some community justice center for wildlife, a place where maybe she could be rehabilitated or something and then released.

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz

Related Words

• body
• existence
• growth
• living
• man
• person
• soul
• survival
• woman