Related to the natural world and the conditions that affect life on Earth, such as air, water, and land. It often focuses on how human activities impact nature.
Built from *environment* plus the adjective suffix *-al*, meaning 'relating to'. It grew in use in the 20th century as people began talking more about pollution and conservation.
Environmental didn’t become a common word until people realized humans could actually damage the whole planet. The word turned 'nature' from a background setting into something we have to actively protect. It helped create modern ideas like environmentalism and environmental science.
Environmental issues have often been framed as technical or apolitical, obscuring how environmental risks and resources are distributed along gender and other social lines. Women have sometimes been stereotyped as naturally more caring about environmental issues while excluded from formal decision-making.
Use “environmental” with awareness that environmental policies intersect with social justice, including gender equity. Avoid gendered assumptions about who cares about environmental issues or who should do environmental care work.
["ecological","related to the environment","sustainability-related"]
Women and gender-diverse environmentalists have advanced concepts like environmental justice and ecofeminism, highlighting how environmental and gender inequalities are intertwined.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.