ecocide

American  

[ek-uh-sahyd, ee-kuh-] / ˈɛk əˌsaɪd, ˈi kə- /

noun

1. the destruction of large areas of the natural environment by such activity as nuclear warfare, overexploitation of resources, or dumping of harmful chemicals.

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ecocide British  

/ ˈiːkəˌsaɪd, ˈɛkə- /

noun

1. total destruction of an area of the natural environment, esp by human agency

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Other Word Forms

• ecocidal adjective

Etymology

Origin of ecocide

An Americanism dating back to 1965–70; eco- + -cide

Example Sentences

On land, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Monday that Israeli strikes on Tehran fuel depots constituted "ecocide", contaminating soil and groundwater and causing long-term risks to people's health.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

Mr. Pitts dismisses this ecocide narrative and places the blame for environmental degradation where it belongs: with colonial intruders.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

Taken together, the findings show that Rapa Nui's history is far more complex than the ecocide narrative suggests.

From Science Daily • Feb. 10, 2026

Julian Cribb, a British-Australian author who specializes in covering the intersections between science and politics, has published nine books on subjects related to ecocide — the practice in which humans actively destroy their environment.

From Salon • Nov. 30, 2024

The country's prosecutor general's office said it was investigating a possible crime of "ecocide."

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2023