Wildlife

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈwaɪldlaɪf/

Definitions

1. Animals and plants living in natural conditions without human intervention or domestication
2. Flora and fauna existing in their native ecosystems, untouched by human influence or cultivation
3. The diverse species of animals and plants inhabiting natural habitats, free from domestication or human alteration

Etymology: "Wildlife" is a plain compound, built from two very old English words: "wild," from Old English "wilde," and "life," from Old English "līf." Both trace back through Proto-Germanic to deep Indo-European roots, so the word is as native to English as its parts are. The compound itself is much younger than either element. Its meaning rests on a shift in the older word. "Wild" originally described something that was not tamed or cultivated, and in its earliest uses it was often applied to places and creatures outside human control. Joining it to "life" produced a single term for living things that thrive without human hands guiding them, a sense that became the everyday meaning of the word.

Synonyms: fauna, animals, nature, ecosystem, biodiversity

Antonyms: domesticated animals, pets, livestock, cultivated species, artificial environment