environmentalists
|en-vi-ron-men-tal-ist|
🇺🇸
/ɪnˌvaɪrənˈmɛntəlɪsts/
🇬🇧
/ɪnˌvaɪrənˈmɛnt(ə)lɪsts/
(environmentalist)
environment advocate
Etymology
'environmentalist' originates from English, formed from the noun 'environment' + the agent-forming suffix '-alist'/'-ist', where 'environment' referred to the surrounding conditions and '-ist' denotes a person associated with a belief or practice.
'environment' comes from Middle French/Old French 'environ' or 'environer' (to surround), and the modern English noun 'environment' developed from these. The modern English formation 'environmentalist' was created by adding the suffix '-ist' to 'environment' to mean a person concerned with environmental matters.
Initially, 'environment' simply meant the 'surroundings' or what 'surrounds' someone or something; over time it broadened to include natural surroundings and the ecological context, and 'environmentalist' came to mean someone concerned with protecting that natural environment.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who advocates for the protection of the natural environment and supports policies or actions to conserve natural resources and reduce pollution.
Environmentalists campaigned for stricter pollution controls along the river.
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Noun 2
a member of the environmental movement who takes part in activities such as protests, lobbying, or public education to raise awareness about environmental issues.
Many environmentalists joined the march to demand government action on climate change.
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Last updated: 2025/10/27 01:10