Ethologically

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a manner concerning the observational study of animal behavior in their natural habitats
2. In a way that involves the analysis of behavioral patterns among species in their ecological settings
3. In a fashion that relates to the scientific examination of animal actions within their natural environments

Etymology: "Ethologically" is simply "ethological" with the adverbial ending "-ly" attached, so the word's history is really the history of its base. "Ethological" is itself built from "ethology," the study of animal behavior, which combines the Greek "ethos," meaning character or habit, with the suffix "-logy," meaning the study of something. The "-ly" ending turns the adjective into an adverb, describing how something is done or viewed: in an ethological way, that is, through the lens of observing animals in their natural settings.