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
Eliza Principe Garcia, Baltimore Sun, 18 Dec. 2024
Likewise, protecting biodiversity will require major changes to an economic system that values industries such as tourism and timber more than mangroves and rainforests.
—Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 13 Dec. 2024
By incorporating diverse ingredients like quinoa, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts, O'Connor has created something that supports gut health while promoting agricultural biodiversity.
—Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Protecting species:Botanical gardens emerge as a model of biodiversity for Arizona's butterfly populations
Critical habitat would be established in California
Biologists believe habitat destruction, insecticides, and the effects of climate change are responsible for the butterfly’s decline.
—Austin Corona, The Arizona Republic, 12 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Biodiversity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biodiversity. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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biodiversity
noun
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