ecology

noun

ecol·​o·​gy i-ˈkä-lə-jē How to pronounce ecology (audio)
e-
plural ecologies
1
: a branch of science concerned with the interrelationship of organisms and their environments
2
: the totality or pattern of relations between organisms and their environment
3
4
: environment, climate
the moral ecology
also : an often delicate or intricate system or complex
the ecology of language
ecologist noun

Examples of ecology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Regardless of whether the banana plant grew within the ecosystems of the precolonial American tropics or not, Indigenous communities and ecologies across the region adapted to the banana plant in a variety of ways that would eventually come to be part of a sustained tradition. Sophia Rey, JSTOR Daily, 28 May 2026 No current commissioner has an academic or professional background in conservation science, land management, species conservation or ecology. Joe Murphy, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 May 2026 An ecology spills team is on site to evaluate the impact of the incident, department spokesperson Brittny Goodsell said. Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 27 May 2026 But in biology, redefining relationships reshapes the questions scientists ask around anatomy, genetics and ecology. Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for ecology

Word History

Etymology

German Ökologie, from öko- eco- + -logie -logy

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ecology was in 1875

Cite this Entry

“Ecology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ecology. Accessed 29 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

ecology

noun
ecol·​o·​gy i-ˈkäl-ə-jē How to pronounce ecology (audio)
e-
1
: a branch of science concerned with the relationships between living things and their environment
2
: the pattern of relationships between a group of living things and their environment
ecological adjective
also ecologic
ecologically adverb

Medical Definition

ecology

noun
ecol·​o·​gy -jē How to pronounce ecology (audio)
plural ecologies
1
: a branch of science concerned with the interrelationship of organisms and their environments
2
: the totality or pattern of relations between organisms and their environment
3
ecological adjective
also ecologic
ecologically adverb

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