wildlife
Americannoun
adjective
noun
Etymology
Origin of wildlife
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.
Vocabulary lists containing wildlife
Endangered Species and Wildlife Conservation
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for July 3–July 9, 2021
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for June 8–June 14, 2024
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The wildlife beauty contest gives the colourful kingfisher and common frog an equal chance of a place on the next series of Bank of England 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
The findings, published in Conservation Letters, suggest that governments risk undermining conservation gains when they fail to address the long-term financial and social costs that wildlife recovery can place on local residents.
From Science Daily • Jun. 1, 2026
State Sen. Scott Sandall, who represents Box Elder County, went from unconditionally supporting Stratos to endorsing a new legislative study on data centers’ potential wildlife harms.
From Slate • Jun. 1, 2026
There were thirty-five team members, and most of them were Kenyans, including wildlife naturalists, scientists, doctors, and laborers.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
![]()
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.