Ecosystem
/ˈiː.kəʊˌsɪs.təm/noun
A community of living organisms interacting with one another and with their physical environment.
Did you know?The word was coined in 1935 by British ecologist Arthur Tansley, who wanted a term for the whole interacting unit of organisms and environment, not just the plants and animals alone.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*seh₂-
“to put, place”
Ancient Greek
Greek
oîkos (οἶκος)
“house, dwelling, household”
Ancient Greek
Greek
oikología / oikología
“study of the household or home”
Ancient Greek
Greek
sýstēma (σύστημα)
“a whole made of parts, a set, organized body”
1935
English
ecosystem
“Arthur Tansley’s term for a biological community and its physical environment considered as one system”
Modern English
English
ecosystem
“an interacting system of living organisms and their environment”
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