ecoer.html - combining
form (Environment)
Part of the words ecology and ecological,
widely used as the first element of compounds and blends which
relate in some way (sometimes
quite tenuously) to ecology, the environment (see
environment° ), or green issues.
Hence as a free-standing adjective: ecological, environment-friendly.
Etymology: The first two syllables of ecology and ecological; in
both words this part is ultimately derived from Greek oikos 'house' (ecology
being,
properly speaking, the study of the 'household' or community of organisms).
History and
Usage:
One of the most fashionable combining forms of the late eighties, eco- had already enjoyed a vogue in the late sixties and early seventies, especially in
US English. As a
formative element of scientific
terminology (for example in words like ecoclimate, ecosphere, ecospecies,
ecosystem, and ecotype), it goes back to the twenties and thirties; scientists have also used it as a kind of shorthand for 'ecological and...' (for example in ecocultural, ecogenetic, ecogeographical, ecophysiological, etc.). The
explosion of
non-technical uses arises from the increasing
influence of the green
view of politics, and represents a
shift in
meaning which had also taken
place in the use of the full forms ecology and ecological: eco- in these words can signify a
range of
different connections with 'the environment' or with environmental politics, but not usually (if
ever) with the community of organisms studied by ecology
proper.
At the
furthest extreme of this development are the words in which eco- is synonymous with environment-friendly (see
-friendly ) and often operates as a free-standing adjective (see the quotations below). Among the formations of the earlier vogue period were eco-activist, eco-catastrophe (or ecodisaster), and ecofreak (also called an eco-nut or eco-nutter). Many of these seventies formations betray a lack of sympathy with environmental action groups and others who were already campaigning against the destruction of the environment; the formations of the eighties and early nineties, on the other hand, tended to have much more positive connotations, as green politics became acceptable and even desirable. Some of the earlier forms were now telescoped into blends: eco-catastrophe, for example, became eco-tastrophe. Many ad hoc formations using eco- have appeared in only one or two contexts (especially when it is used as a type of adjective); a few of these are illustrated in the quotations below. Among the more lasting eco- words (some originally formed by the environmental campaigners of the seventies, others new to the eighties or early nineties) are: eco-aware(ness); ecobabble (see under -babble); ecocentric (and ecocentrism); ecoconsciousness; ecocrat; ecocrisis; ecodoom (and -doomster, -doomsterism); ecofeminism; eco-friendly; ecolabel(ling) (see also
environmental ); ecomania (sometimes called ecohysteria); ecopolitics (also ecopolicy, ecopolitical); ecoraider; ecorefugee; ecosocialism (and ecosocialist); ecotage (also called ecoterrorism) and ecoteur (also an eco-guerrilla or ecoterrorist); ecotechnology (and ecotechnological); Ecotopian (as an adjective or noun, from Ecotopia, an ecologically ideal society or environmental Utopia); eco-tourism and eco-tourist. Whew, the day certainly had a funny colour to it--a harp light, but livid, bilious, as if some knot of eco-scuzz still lingered in its lungs. Martin Amis Money (1984), p.
43 Among the measures called for are...introduction of 'ecomark' labels for products that have little adverse effect on the environment. Nature 25 May 1989, p.
242 Tom Cruise will wear a shock of bright green hair in his next movie, fighting such evil characters as Sly Sludge...in an effort to wipe out those 'eco-villains who pollute the earth'. Sunday Mail Magazine (Brisbane)
11 Feb. 1990, p.
42 Four eco-warriors risk their lives as Greenpeace attempts to prevent a ship dumping waste in the North Sea. Sky Magazine Apr. 1990, p.
3 Oiling the wheels of eco progress. Times Educational Supplement 11 May 1990, section A, p.
12 What scientists call an 'eco-tastrophe'
[on Mount St Helen's] has witnessed a remarkable recovery by nature. Guardian 18 May 1990, p.
12 Lex Silvester is no Crocodile Dundee, but dedicated to eco-tourism, blending sightseeing with conservation. The Times 2 June 1990, p.
29 The 'Eco house', in its own acre garden, will demonstrate how we can live in a more environmental friendly way with highly efficient insulation, solar heating, energy efficient appliances and organic gardening. Natural World Spring/Summer 1990, p.
9 The Department of the Environment produced a useful discussion paper on eco-labelling back in August 1989, and after some lengthy consultation set up an Advisory Panel. She Aug. 1990, p.
122 An overwhelming groundswell of support transformed Greenpeace from a daring but ragtag band of eco-guerrillas into the largest environmental organization in the world in barely over a decade. New York Times Book Review 25 Nov. 1990, p.
14 As products with specious 'eco-friendly' claims multiply on store shelves, the need for substantiated product information has intensified. Garbage Nov.-Dec. 1990, p. 17, or green issues.
Hence as a free-standing adjective: ecological, environment-friendly.
Etymology : The
first two syllables of ecology and ecological; in
both words
this part is ultimately derived from
Greek oikos 'house' (ecology
being ,
properly speaking , the
study of the 'household' or
community of organisms).
History and
Usage :
One of the
most fashionable combining forms of the
late eighties, eco- had already enjoyed a vogue in the
late sixties and early seventies, especially in
US English. As a
formative element of
scientific terminology (
for example in words
like ecoclimate,
ecosphere, ecospecies,
ecosystem , and ecotype), it
goes back to the twenties and thirties; scientists have also used it as a
kind of
shorthand for 'ecological and...' (
for example in ecocultural, ecogenetic, ecogeographical, ecophysiological, etc.). The
explosion of
non-technical uses arises from the increasing
influence of the green
view of politics, and represents a
shift in
meaning which had also taken
place in the
use of the
full forms
ecology and
ecological: eco- in these words can
signify a
range of
different connections with 'the environment' or with environmental politics, but not usually (if
ever ) with the
community of organisms studied by
ecology proper .
At the
furthest extreme of
this development are the words in
which eco- is
synonymous with environment-friendly (see
-friendly ) and often operates as a free-standing adjective (see the quotations below). Among the formations of the earlier vogue period were eco-activist, eco-catastrophe (or ecodisaster), and ecofreak (also called an eco-nut or eco-nutter). Many of these seventies formations betray a lack of sympathy with environmental action groups and others who were already campaigning against the destruction of the environment; the formations of the eighties and early nineties, on the other hand, tended to have much more positive connotations, as green politics became acceptable and even desirable. Some of the earlier forms were now telescoped into blends: eco-catastrophe, for example, became eco-tastrophe. Many ad hoc formations using eco- have appeared in only one or two contexts (especially when it is used as a type of adjective); a few of these are illustrated in the quotations below. Among the more lasting eco- words (some originally formed by the environmental campaigners of the seventies, others new to the eighties or early nineties) are: eco-aware(ness); ecobabble (see under -babble); ecocentric (and ecocentrism); ecoconsciousness; ecocrat; ecocrisis; ecodoom (and -doomster, -doomsterism); ecofeminism; eco-friendly; ecolabel(ling) (see also
environmental ); ecomania (sometimes called ecohysteria); ecopolitics (also ecopolicy, ecopolitical); ecoraider; ecorefugee; ecosocialism (and ecosocialist); ecotage (also called ecoterrorism) and ecoteur (also an eco-guerrilla or ecoterrorist); ecotechnology (and ecotechnological); Ecotopian (as an adjective or noun, from Ecotopia, an ecologically ideal society or environmental Utopia); eco-tourism and eco-tourist. Whew, the day certainly had a funny colour to it--a harp light, but livid, bilious, as if some knot of eco-scuzz still lingered in its lungs. Martin Amis Money (1984), p.
43 Among the measures called for are...introduction of 'ecomark' labels for products that have little adverse effect on the environment. Nature 25 May 1989, p.
242 Tom Cruise will wear a shock of bright green hair in his next movie, fighting such evil characters as Sly Sludge...in an effort to wipe out those 'eco-villains who pollute the earth'. Sunday Mail Magazine (Brisbane)
11 Feb. 1990, p.
42 Four eco-warriors risk their lives as Greenpeace attempts to prevent a ship dumping waste in the North Sea. Sky Magazine Apr. 1990, p.
3 Oiling the wheels of eco progress. Times Educational Supplement 11 May 1990, section A, p.
12 What scientists call an 'eco-tastrophe'
[on Mount St Helen's] has witnessed a remarkable recovery by nature. Guardian 18 May 1990, p.
12 Lex Silvester is no Crocodile Dundee, but dedicated to eco-tourism, blending sightseeing with conservation. The Times 2 June 1990, p.
29 The 'Eco house', in its own acre garden, will demonstrate how we can live in a more environmental friendly way with highly efficient insulation, solar heating, energy efficient appliances and organic gardening. Natural World Spring/Summer 1990, p.
9 The Department of the Environment produced a useful discussion paper on eco-labelling back in August 1989, and after some lengthy consultation set up an Advisory Panel. She Aug. 1990, p.
122 An overwhelming groundswell of support transformed Greenpeace from a daring but ragtag band of eco-guerrillas into the largest environmental organization in the world in barely over a decade. New York Times Book Review 25 Nov. 1990, p.
14 As products with specious 'eco-friendly' claims multiply on store shelves, the need for substantiated product information has intensified. Garbage Nov.-Dec. 1990, p.
17 and
often operates as a free-standing adjective (see the quotations below). Among the formations of the earlier
vogue period were eco-activist, eco-catastrophe (
or ecodisaster), and ecofreak (also called an eco-nut or eco-nutter). Many of these seventies formations
betray a lack of
sympathy with environmental
action groups and others who were
already campaigning
against the
destruction of the environment; the formations of the eighties and early nineties, on the other hand, tended to have much more
positive connotations, as green
politics became
acceptable and even
desirable. Some of the earlier forms were
now telescoped into blends: eco-catastrophe, for
example, became eco-tastrophe. Many
ad hoc formations using eco- have appeared in
only one or two contexts (
especially when
it is used as a
type of adjective); a
few of these are illustrated in the quotations
below. Among the more lasting eco- words (some originally formed by the environmental campaigners of the seventies, others new to the eighties or early nineties) are: eco-aware(ness);
ecobabble (see
under -babble); ecocentric (and ecocentrism); ecoconsciousness; ecocrat; ecocrisis; ecodoom (and -doomster, -doomsterism); ecofeminism; eco-friendly; ecolabel(ling) (see also
environmental ); ecomania (sometimes called ecohysteria); ecopolitics (also ecopolicy, ecopolitical); ecoraider; ecorefugee; ecosocialism (and ecosocialist); ecotage (also called ecoterrorism) and ecoteur (also an eco-guerrilla or ecoterrorist); ecotechnology (and ecotechnological); Ecotopian (as an adjective or noun, from Ecotopia, an ecologically ideal society or environmental Utopia); eco-tourism and eco-tourist. Whew, the day certainly had a funny colour to it--a harp light, but livid, bilious, as if some knot of eco-scuzz still lingered in its lungs. Martin Amis Money (1984), p.
43 Among the measures called for are...introduction of 'ecomark' labels for products that have little adverse effect on the environment. Nature 25 May 1989, p.
242 Tom Cruise will wear a shock of bright green hair in his next movie, fighting such evil characters as Sly Sludge...in an effort to wipe out those 'eco-villains who pollute the earth'. Sunday Mail Magazine (Brisbane)
11 Feb. 1990, p.
42 Four eco-warriors risk their lives as Greenpeace attempts to prevent a ship dumping waste in the North Sea. Sky Magazine Apr. 1990, p.
3 Oiling the wheels of eco progress. Times Educational Supplement 11 May 1990, section A, p.
12 What scientists call an 'eco-tastrophe'
[on Mount St Helen's] has witnessed a remarkable recovery by nature. Guardian 18 May 1990, p.
12 Lex Silvester is no Crocodile Dundee, but dedicated to eco-tourism, blending sightseeing with conservation. The Times 2 June 1990, p.
29 The 'Eco house', in its own acre garden, will demonstrate how we can live in a more environmental friendly way with highly efficient insulation, solar heating, energy efficient appliances and organic gardening. Natural World Spring/Summer 1990, p.
9 The Department of the Environment produced a useful discussion paper on eco-labelling back in August 1989, and after some lengthy consultation set up an Advisory Panel. She Aug. 1990, p.
122 An overwhelming groundswell of support transformed Greenpeace from a daring but ragtag band of eco-guerrillas into the largest environmental organization in the world in barely over a decade. New York Times Book Review 25 Nov. 1990, p.
14 As products with specious 'eco-friendly' claims multiply on store shelves, the need for substantiated product information has intensified. Garbage Nov.-Dec. 1990, p.
17. Among the formations of the earlier
vogue period were eco-activist, eco-catastrophe (
or ecodisaster), and ecofreak (also called an eco-nut or eco-nutter). Many of these seventies formations
betray a
lack of
sympathy with environmental
action groups and others who
were already campaigning
against the
destruction of the environment; the formations of the eighties and
early nineties, on the
other hand, tended to have
much more
positive connotations, as green
politics became
acceptable and
even desirable .
Some of the earlier forms
were now telescoped into blends: eco-catastrophe, for
example ,
became eco-tastrophe.
Many ad hoc formations using eco- have appeared in
only one or
two contexts (
especially when it is used as a
type of adjective); a
few of
these are illustrated in the quotations
below . Among the more
lasting eco- words (some originally formed by the environmental campaigners of the seventies, others
new to the eighties or
early nineties) are: eco-aware(ness);
ecobabble (see
under -babble); ecocentric (and ecocentrism); ecoconsciousness; ecocrat; ecocrisis; ecodoom (and -doomster, -doomsterism); ecofeminism; eco-friendly; ecolabel(ling) (see also
environmental ); ecomania (
sometimes called ecohysteria); ecopolitics (also ecopolicy, ecopolitical); ecoraider; ecorefugee; ecosocialism (and ecosocialist); ecotage (also called ecoterrorism) and ecoteur (
also an eco-guerrilla or ecoterrorist); ecotechnology (and ecotechnological); Ecotopian (as an adjective or
noun, from Ecotopia, an ecologically
ideal society or environmental Utopia); eco-tourism and eco-tourist.
Whew, the day certainly
had a funny colour to it--a
harp light, but livid,
bilious, as
if some knot of eco-scuzz still lingered in its lungs. Martin Amis
Money (1984), p.
43 Among the measures called for are...introduction of 'ecomark' labels for products
that have little adverse effect on the environment. Nature 25 May 1989, p.
242 Tom Cruise will wear a shock of
bright green hair in his
next movie, fighting
such evil characters as
Sly Sludge...in an effort to wipe out
those 'eco-villains who
pollute the earth'. Sunday Mail Magazine (Brisbane)
11 Feb. 1990, p.
42
Four eco-warriors
risk their
lives as Greenpeace attempts to prevent a ship dumping waste in the North
Sea. Sky Magazine
Apr. 1990, p.
3 Oiling the wheels of
eco progress. Times Educational
Supplement 11 May 1990,
section A, p.
12 What scientists call an 'eco-tastrophe'
[on Mount St Helen's] has witnessed a
remarkable recovery by nature.
Guardian 18 May 1990, p.
12 Lex Silvester
is no
Crocodile Dundee, but dedicated to eco-tourism, blending sightseeing with
conservation. The Times 2 June 1990, p.
29 The 'Eco house', in its
own acre garden, will
demonstrate how
we can live in a
more environmental
friendly way with highly efficient insulation, solar heating,
energy efficient appliances and
organic gardening.
Natural World Spring/Summer 1990, p.
9 The Department of the Environment produced a useful discussion paper on eco-labelling back in
August 1989, and
after some
lengthy consultation set up an
Advisory Panel.
She Aug. 1990, p.
122 An overwhelming groundswell of support transformed Greenpeace from a
daring but ragtag band of eco-guerrillas into the largest environmental organization in the world in
barely over a decade.
New York Times Book
Review 25 Nov. 1990, p.
14 As products with
specious 'eco-friendly' claims
multiply on
store shelves, the
need for substantiated
product information has intensified.
Garbage Nov.-Dec. 1990, p. 17; ecocentric (and ecocentrism); ecoconsciousness; ecocrat; ecocrisis; ecodoom (and -doomster, -doomsterism); ecofeminism; eco-friendly; ecolabel(ling) (
see also
environmental ); ecomania (
sometimes called ecohysteria); ecopolitics (also ecopolicy, ecopolitical); ecoraider; ecorefugee; ecosocialism (and ecosocialist); ecotage (also called ecoterrorism) and ecoteur (
also an eco-guerrilla or ecoterrorist); ecotechnology (and ecotechnological); Ecotopian (
as an
adjective or
noun , from Ecotopia, an ecologically
ideal society or environmental Utopia); eco-tourism and eco-tourist.
Whew , the
day certainly had a
funny colour to it--a
harp light , but
livid,
bilious , as
if some knot of eco-scuzz
still lingered in its lungs.
Martin Amis
Money (1984), p.
43
Among the measures called for are...introduction of 'ecomark' labels for products
that have little adverse effect on the
environment.
Nature 25 May 1989, p.
242
Tom Cruise will
wear a shock of
bright green hair in
his next movie , fighting
such evil characters as
Sly Sludge...in an
effort to
wipe out those 'eco-villains
who pollute the earth'.
Sunday Mail Magazine (Brisbane)
11 Feb. 1990, p.
42
Four eco-warriors
risk their lives as
Greenpeace attempts to
prevent a
ship dumping
waste in the
North Sea .
Sky Magazine Apr . 1990, p.
3 Oiling the wheels of
eco progress. Times Educational
Supplement 11 May 1990,
section A, p.
12
What scientists
call an 'eco-tastrophe'
[on Mount St Helen's] has witnessed a
remarkable recovery by nature.
Guardian 18
May 1990, p.
12 Lex Silvester
is no
Crocodile Dundee, but dedicated to eco-tourism, blending sightseeing with
conservation . The Times 2
June 1990, p.
29 The 'Eco house', in
its own acre garden,
will demonstrate how we can live in a
more environmental friendly way with
highly efficient insulation,
solar heating,
energy efficient appliances and
organic gardening.
Natural World Spring/Summer 1990, p.
9 The
Department of the
Environment produced a
useful discussion paper on eco-labelling
back in
August 1989,
and after some lengthy consultation set up an Advisory Panel .
She Aug. 1990, p.
122
An overwhelming groundswell of
support transformed
Greenpeace from a
daring but
ragtag band of eco-guerrillas into the largest
environmental organization in the
world in
barely over a
decade.
New York Times
Book Review 25 Nov. 1990,
p.
14 As products
with specious 'eco-friendly' claims
multiply on
store shelves , the
need for substantiated
product information has intensified.
Garbage Nov.-Dec. 1990, p. 17
