environmentally friendly — not harmful to the environment; designed to have minimal negative impact on the natural world
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: not harmful to the environment; designed to have minimal negative impact on the natural world
Pronunciation (IPA): /ɪnˌvaɪrənˈmentəli ˈfrendli/
Example Sentences
- My grandmother insists her homemade soap is more environmentally friendly than store brands, but I suspect it's just because she enjoys lecturing about chemicals.
- The new environmentally friendly building uses solar energy and rainwater collection systems.
- He bought an environmentally friendly car, then bragged about it so much that his friends started avoiding carpools with him.
environmentally friendly
ADJECTIVE[/ɪnˌvaɪrənˈmentəli ˈfrendli/]
not harmful to the environment; designed to have minimal negative impact on the natural world
The new cafe is fully environmentally friendly, from solar panels to bamboo cups.
Choose environmentally friendly, avoid what's deadly!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This phrase emerged in the mid-20th century as the environmental movement gained momentum, combining 'environment' (from Old French environ, meaning surroundings) with 'friendly' (from Old English freond, meaning not hostile). The compound gained widespread usage in the 1970s-1980s to describe products and practices that minimize ecological harm.
Breakdown
environment (surroundings, from Old French environ) + -ally (adverb-forming suffix, from Latin -alis) + friendly (not harmful, from Old English freond meaning companion or ally). The structure creates an adverbial phrase describing something disposed favorably toward the natural world.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandmother insists her homemade soap is more environmentally friendly than store brands, but I suspect it's just because she enjoys lecturing about chemicals.”
“The new environmentally friendly building uses solar energy and rainwater collection systems.”
“He bought an environmentally friendly car, then bragged about it so much that his friends started avoiding carpools with him.”
📚Related Words
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