environmentalism
environmentalism Lexical Profile
• noun
A political, ethical, and social movement or ideology focused on protecting the natural environment from pollution, degradation, and human exploitation through conservation and sustainable practices.
"The rise of modern environmentalism in the late twentieth century led to the passage of major clean air and water legislation."
A theory in psychology and sociology holding that external surroundings and cultural conditions, rather than heredity alone, are the primary factors determining human development and behavior.
"In developmental psychology, strict environmentalism argues that upbringing and social context shape personality far more than genetics."
• Rhymes for environmentalism
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the early 20th century from 'environmental' and the suffix '-ism', originally as a sociological and psychological theory emphasizing environmental influence, before shifting in the 1960s and 1970s to denote the modern ecological conservation movement.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.