ecological
- 1Relating to ecology: the web of relationships between organisms and the environment they live in.
Researchers tracked the ecological effects of removing wolves from the park.
The wetland's ecological role includes filtering water and sheltering migratory birds.
Similarenvironmental
- 2Not harmful to the environment, made or done in a way that avoids damaging the natural world.
The festival promoted ecological alternatives to single-use plastics.
Their new factory uses an ecological process that releases no toxic waste.
Similargreen, eco-friendly
Note
Here the word praises rather than describes: an ecological process does the environment no harm, close to environmentally friendly or ecologically friendly. Because it judges, it grades naturally, as in a more ecological choice or the most ecological option. The scientific sense only classifies: ecological variables are neither good nor bad. When ecological could be swapped for environmentally friendly, it is this sense.
Practice
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Origin
Formed from "ecology" combined with the suffix "-ical".