biodiversity
noun
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Biodiversity may become the rallying call for the next decade, wrote David Wake in the journal Science in 1989. Indeed, biodiversity is a word you're likely to encounter in writing about ecology and the environment today. But when Wake used it, "biodiversity" was still a relatively new addition to the English language, having first appeared in writing in the mid-1980s. Of course, the roots of biodiversity are much older. It evolved from a commingling of the descendants of the Greek noun bios, which means "mode of life," and the Latin verb divertere, which means "to turn aside" or "to go different ways."
Examples of biodiversity in a Sentence
Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Immersing itself in the mysteries of the deep, the collection transforms the ocean’s endless biodiversity into an otherworldly realm.
—Mecca Pryor, Essence, 28 Apr. 2025
In Peru, grafting was found to boost productivity by 45% within two years, while preserving biodiversity.
—Troy Aidan Sambajon, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Apr. 2025
Environmental groups are calling for all activities to be banned, warning that industrial operations on the ocean floor could cause irreversible biodiversity loss.
—Ernest Scheyder and Jarrett Renshaw, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for biodiversity
Cite this Entry
“Biodiversity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biodiversity. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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biodiversity
noun
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