installation
Americannoun
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installations
plural
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something installed, as machinery or apparatus placed in position or connected for use.
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the act of installing.
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the fact of being installed.
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Military. any more or less permanent post, camp, station, base, or the like, for the support or carrying on of military activities.
noun
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the act of installing or the state of being installed
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a large device, system, or piece of equipment that has been installed
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a military establishment usually serving in a support role
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an art exhibit often involving video or moving parts where the relation of the parts to the whole is important to the interpretation of the piece
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of installation
First recorded in 1600–10, installation is from the Medieval Latin word installātiōn- (stem of installātiō ). See install, -ation
Explanation
Installation is the process of putting something in a position so it can work properly. If the installation of the new dishwasher goes badly, you'll end up with water all over the kitchen floor. Installation is frequently used for appliances and machinery, like the installation of a fountain in your yard or the installation of a fan in your attic to help the house stay cool. You can also use it for people being set up in new positions or jobs: "The installation of a new president has been positive for the university." When artists talk about installations, they mean semi-permanent art exhibits: "The video installation in the museum's elevator is very innovative."
Vocabulary lists containing installation
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Shipwrecked!
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Selection Vocabulary 4, Unit 4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“Was it a faulty installation? Was it a faulty configuration? Or was it just a bad piece of router technology that we put into this system that propagated these errors?”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 15, 2026
In 2021 he and Schwarzenegger attended an event marking the installation of the millionth solar roof in the state.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2026
The federal government tracks female participation in fields such as construction, and installation and repair, which includes jobs such as plumbers, carpenters and auto technicians.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
The exact number of poppies on the installation is being kept secret, so as not to spoil a competition for people to guess the total.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
Olmsted in particular felt the pressure but also felt hobbled by the persistent delays in installation of exhibits and the damage done by the repeated comings and goings of drays and freight cars.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
Gen Kainerugaba was appointed army chief in March 2024, after previously commanding the SFC, which is responsible for protecting the president and strategic installations.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2026
Usually, when I see Chihulies, they’re giant exhibits — like installations at hotels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 12, 2026
American military compounds along the corniche here in Bahrain’s capital are dotted with the charred hulks of destroyed radars and communications installations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2026
They also raised security concerns because of the houses' proximity to military installations.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
The delayed installations meant that temporary tracks and roads had to remain in place.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
