What does eco- mean in English?
Eco- comes from the Greek oikos, which means "house" or "home". It shows a relation to the environment, ecology or sustainability. The idea is that nature is the shared home of all living things.
ESEN
Prefix · environment / ecology
eco-
Signals relation to the environment or ecology: ecosystem, ecology, eco-friendly, ecotourism.
Scientific
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
Eco- in advertising and economics
Today eco- is also used to say that a product or practice takes care of the environment, which is why you see it on labels, in stores and in ads. And there is a curious fact: the word economy comes from the same root oikos, because it originally meant "managing the household". Today ecology and economics seem like very different fields, but they share the same origin.
How it is used
Attaches to nouns and adjectives:
- eco- + scientific field/systemlogy → ecologysystem → ecosystemzone → ecozoneregion → ecoregion
- eco- + adjective/practicefriendly → eco-friendlytourism → ecotourismwarrior → eco-warriorlabel → eco-label
Pronunciation: /ˈiːkəʊ/. Do not confuse with "echo" (reflected sound), which comes from Greek "echo" (a sound-related term).
How it is pronounced
eco-/ˈiːkəʊ/
Tap the button to hear how the prefix sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Examples
Root word
With eco-
In a phrase
- logyecologyEcology studies the relationships between organisms and their environment.
- systemecosystemDeforestation destroys the ecosystem and threatens thousands of species.
- friendlyeco-friendlyShe only buys eco-friendly products with verified certifications.
- tourismecotourismEcotourism lets visitors explore nature while funding its conservation.
- zoneecozoneResearchers mapped five distinct ecozones inside the national park.
- warrioreco-warriorThe eco-warrior chained herself to a tree to stop the loggers.
- nomicseconomicsEcology and economics both come from the Greek root "oikos," meaning home.
Common mistakes
eco- and echo share the same root
eco- (environment) comes from Greek "oikos" (house); echo (sound) comes from Greek "echo" (voice)
"Eco-" in ecology comes from Greek "oikos" (house, household, environment). "Echo" (the reflection of sound) comes from Greek "echo," a mythological nymph associated with voice. They are completely different roots that happen to sound similar.
eco-friendly = completely harmless to the environment
eco-friendly = relatively less damaging than the conventional alternative, not necessarily impact-neutral
"Eco-friendly" is not a strictly regulated term. It signals a lower environmental impact compared to conventional alternatives, but does not guarantee zero impact. Look for specific certifications (FSC, ENERGY STAR, etc.) for more concrete claims.
A trick to remember it
Think of the home we all share, the environment: eco- = environment. ecosystem, ecology.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"She only buys ___ products with verified environmental certifications to reduce her footprint."
Exercise 3 · Pick the right one
What do "ecology" and "economics" have in common etymologically?
Frequently asked questions
What does the prefix eco- mean in English?
The prefix eco- signals relation to the environment or ecology: ecosystem, ecology, eco-friendly, ecotourism.
How do you pronounce eco-?
The prefix eco- is pronounced /ˈiːkəʊ/. For example, "ecology".
Can you give an example of a word with eco-?
"logy" becomes "ecology". It is a typical example of the eco- prefix.
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