tree-hugger

[ tree-huhg-er ]

noun

1. an environmentalist, especially one concerned with preserving forests.

tree-hugger

/ ˈtriːˌhʌɡə /

noun

1. informal.
   an environmental campaigner

Other Words From

• tree-hugging adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tree-hugger¹

First recorded in 1985–90

Word History and Origins

Origin of tree-hugger¹

C20: from the tactic of embracing trees to prevent their being felled

Example Sentences

You’re such a tree hugger,’ but this is very much about humans.

From Los Angeles Times

His fellow Republicans began to greet him with terms such as “greenie” and “tree hugger.”

From Washington Post

I am a tree hugger, gardener and lover of Mother Nature.

From Seattle Times

Mr. Stone’s wife said that he was not a “tree hugger,” as the term is generally understood, and that he was driven principally by the intellectual aspects of environmentalism.

From Washington Post

But the EPA started under Nixon's watch, and by today's Republican standards, Nixon would be considered a "tree hugger."

From Salon