ecosystem

noun

eco·​sys·​tem ˈē-kō-ˌsi-stəm How to pronounce ecosystem (audio)
ˈe-kō-
plural ecosystems
1
: the complex of a community of organisms and its environment functioning as an ecological unit
That influx of fresh water alters the ocean's salinity near the seafloor, a factor that influences the makeup of the ecosystems in those places.Sid Perkins
Global warming, if it proceeds as many scientists predict, threatens to undo decades of conservation work and could mean the destruction of the monarch butterfly, the edelweiss, the polar bear and innumerable other species living in fragile ecosystems, an emerging body of scientific evidence suggests.William K. Stevens
2
: something (such as a network of businesses) considered to resemble an ecological ecosystem especially because of its complex interdependent parts
Newspaper layoffs have ripple effects for the entire local news ecosystem because, as the Congressional Research Service noted, television, radio and online outlets often "piggyback on reporting done by much larger newspaper staffs."David Sirota
Lots of Walmart customers are underserved by banks and other financial institutions, [Daniel] Eckert says; the company's experiments with finance-related products and services help customers "not only save money but also have access to a financial ecosystem they were crowded out from."Rob Walker
ecosystemic adjective
The Amazon invariably evokes superlatives and often hyperbole. Stock images such as river dimensions and biotic variety are now joined with notions of forest biomass and ecosystemic complexity. Kent Mathewson
The women of Sex and the City occasionally argued, sure, but their ecosystemic purpose—to be there for their friends as they date and search and marry—was always extremely clear. Megan Garber

Did you know?

The Environment of Ecosystem

For the now-ubiquitous prefix eco-, we can thank the great German zoologist Ernst Haeckel, who in 1866 coined the term oekologie from the Greek oikos, meaning “home, place to live.” Haeckel was thinking primarily of the “homes” of animals, but by the time the word translated into English in 1875 (initially spelled “oecology”), its meaning had broadened to embrace plant habitats as well. The related term ecosystem was proposed by the British botanist Arthur Tansley, 60 years after one of his own professors first translated Haeckel’s oekologie. It may have been ecosystem, which treats eco- as a prefix to a standard English word, that gave English speakers permission to do the same in coining a host of other terms: ecosphere, ecotour, eco-friendly, and all the rest. Meanwhile, ecosystem itself has been appropriated freely in all kinds of contexts well removed from the natural environment: the “app ecosystem,” the “education ecosystem,” the “startup ecosystem,” the “pop-culture ecosystem,” the “mobile ecosystem,” the “biking ecosystem,” and so forth.

Examples of ecosystem in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The award, in its 12th year, showcases Britain’s nature, from its woodlands and wetlands to other ecosystems. Nell Lewis, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 In the mid-2010s, social media became a key element of the collecting ecosystem. Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 The problem is that the salt flats also act as an essential part of a highly biodiverse ecosystem, say scientists like Ingrid Garcés, a hydrologist from Chile’s University of Antofagasta. Megan Janetsky, Victor R. Caivano and Rodrigo Abd, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024 Dung beetle success is crucial to healthily dispersing animal waste in ecosystems by bringing nutrients directly into the soil. Christie Taylor, Popular Science, 13 Mar. 2024 Their goal, in part, is to preserve the arctic ecosystems the giants once roamed. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024 Pollinators are a vital part of a keeping an ecosystem diverse, which is a key element in resiliency to the effects of climate change. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 8 Mar. 2024 This function is crucial for maintaining investor confidence and regulatory compliance, highlighting CPAs’ pivotal role in the financial ecosystem. Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024 Located north of Tulum, near the village of Akumal, Yal-Ku is a brackish ecosystem brimming with tropical fish. Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ecosystem.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ecosystem was in 1935

Dictionary Entries Near ecosystem

Cite this Entry

“Ecosystem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ecosystem. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ecosystem

noun
eco·​sys·​tem ˈē-kō-ˌsis-təm How to pronounce ecosystem (audio)
ˈek-ō-
: a system made up of an ecological community of living things interacting with their environment especially under natural conditions

Medical Definition

ecosystem

noun
eco·​sys·​tem -ˌsis-təm How to pronounce ecosystem (audio)
: the complex of a community and its environment functioning as an ecological unit in nature

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