1. the inhabited or habitable parts of the earth; the known world
Usage: also spelled oecumene; chiefly historical or geographical
2. in geography, the portion of Earth's surface that is permanently settled and economically developed by humans
Usage: technical term in human geography

Examples

• Ancient Greek scholars debated the boundaries of the ecumene.
• The ecumene expanded dramatically during the Age of Exploration.
• Geographers study how the ecumene has shifted over centuries.
• Trade routes connected the major centers of the ecumene in medieval times.
• The ecumene today encompasses most continents except Antarctica.