Overcrowding

/ˌoʊvərˈkraʊdɪŋ/ noun

Definition

The state of having too many people or things in a space, causing uncomfortable or dangerous conditions.

Etymology

From 'over-' (excessive, too much) + 'crowding' (gathering of many together). 'Crowd' comes from Old English 'crudan' meaning 'to push.'

Kelly Says

Overcrowding in animal studies shows something eerie: animals in overcrowded conditions become aggressive and stop reproducing, suggesting that even humans have invisible psychological limits, and cities pushing population density might be hitting those limits.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.