Ecological

ˌiːkəˈlɒdʒɪkəl

adjectivemedium📊CommonScience
1 meaning2 idioms/phrases3 questions

Definitions

1

Relating to the relationships between living organisms and their environment.

ˌiːkəˈlɒdʒɪkəl

adjectiveneutralmedium
Science

Relating to ecology or the environment.

Ecological research helps us understand how climate change affects different species.

💡 Simply: Imagine nature is like a big puzzle. 'Ecological' means describing how all the puzzle pieces (plants, animals, etc.) fit together and affect each other. Like, what happens to the animals if we cut down too many trees?

👶 For kids: Being about the environment and how plants and animals live together.

More Examples

2

The company is committed to promoting ecological sustainability in its operations.

3

They conducted an ecological survey to assess the impact of the new road.

How It's Used

Environmental Science

"Ecological studies reveal the complex relationships between organisms and their surroundings."

Biology

"The ecological balance of the rainforest is threatened by deforestation."

Environmental Policy

"Ecological impact assessments are required for new construction projects."

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Idioms & expressions

ecological footprint

The impact of a person or community on the environment, expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources.

"By reducing meat consumption and using public transport, we can decrease our ecological footprint."

ecological niche

The role and position a species has in its environment; how it meets its needs for survival and reproduction.

"Each species occupies a specific ecological niche within its ecosystem."

From the Greek word "oikos" (house, habitat) and "-logy" (the study of), indicating the study of organisms in relation to their environment. The term gained prominence with the development of modern ecology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The word 'ecological' and its related terms gained popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as the field of ecology was formally established. Early usage often focused on the relationship between organisms and their surroundings.

Memory tip

Think of "eco" (environment) and "logical" (making sense). Ecological describes things related to how organisms make sense in their environment.

Word Origin

LanguageGreek
Original meaning

"house, habitat"

ecological impactecological balanceecological studyecological systemecological niche

Common misspellings

ecoologicalecologcalecologiceclogical

Usage

40%Spoken
60%Written