ecology
UK[iːˈkɒlədʒi]US[iːˈkɑːlədʒi]
n
The scientific study of the relationships between living things and their environment.
n
The set of relationships between a particular group of living things and their environment.
Morpheme Breakdown
eco
logy
eco
house, environment
logy
study of
Etymology
The term 'ecology' is a modern scientific coinage, constructed in the 19th century by the German biologist Ernst Haeckel from classical Greek elements. It literally translates to "the study of the house," where the Greek oikos (house, dwelling) metaphorically represents the environment or the natural world as the shared home of all organisms. The suffix -logia (discourse, study) signifies a systematic field of inquiry. Thus, the word's logic elegantly frames the natural world as an interconnected household, and ecology as the science dedicated to understanding the relationships and economies within that global home.
Analysis
Structure: eco (house, environment) + logy (study of)
- eco: From Greek oikos, meaning "house," "household," or "habitat." In this word, it functions as a combining form denoting the environment or the relationships within a dwelling place.
- logy: From Greek -logia, meaning "the study of" or "discourse." It is a noun-forming suffix indicating a branch of knowledge or science.
Examples
She decided to study marine ecology at university.
The ecology of the rainforest is incredibly complex and fragile.
Human activity has had a profound impact on the local ecology.