# ecology

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɪˈkɒl.ə.d͡ʒi/ · frequency rank #10,532

## Definitions
1. The branch of biology dealing with the relationships of organisms with their environment and with each other.
2. Any study of the relationships of components of a system with their environment and with each other.
3. The totality or pattern of relationships of components of a system with their environment and with each other.

## Etymology
Calque of German Ökologie (coined in 1866 by Ernst Haeckel), from Ancient Greek οἶκος (oîkos, “house”) + -λογία (-logía, “study of”). By surface analysis, eco- + -logy.

## Easily confused with
- **eulogy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ecology-vs-eulogy)
- **economy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ecology-vs-economy)
- **etiology** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ecology-vs-etiology)

## Common misspellings (10)
`ceology`, `eccology`, `ecloogy`, `ecolgoy`, `ecollogy`, `ecologgy`, `ecologyy`, `ecoloyg`, `ecoolgy`, `eoclogy`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ecology