environment
Americannoun
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environments
plural
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the aggregate of surrounding things, conditions, or influences; surroundings; milieu.
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Ecology. the air, water, minerals, organisms, and all other external factors surrounding and affecting a given organism at any time.
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the social and cultural forces that shape the life of a person or a population.
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Computers. the hardware or software configuration, or the mode of operation, of a computer system.
In a time-sharing environment, transactions are processed as they occur.
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an indoor or outdoor setting characterized by the presence of environmental art that is designed specifically to make use of that site.
noun
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external conditions or surroundings, esp those in which people live or work
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ecology the external surroundings in which a plant or animal lives, which tend to influence its development and behaviour
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the state of being environed; encirclement
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computing an operating system, program, or integrated suite of programs that provides all the facilities necessary for a particular application
a word-processing environment
Synonym Usage
Environment, milieu, ambiance, setting, surroundings all refer to what makes up the atmosphere or background against which someone or something is seen. Environment may refer either to actual physical surroundings or to social or cultural background factors: an environment of crime and grinding poverty. Milieu, encountered most often in literary writing, refers to intangible aspects of the environment: an exhilarating milieu of artistic ferment and innovation. Ambiance applies to the atmosphere of the surroundings, their mood or tone: an ambiance of ease and elegance. Setting suggests a background that sets something off: a perfect setting for the emerald. Surroundings alludes specifically to the physical aspects of the environment: awoke in strange surroundings; blend in with her surroundings. See ecosystem ( def. ).
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of environment
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Middle French environnement; see environ, -ment
Explanation
Think of the environment as everything that is around you. A quiet room with good lighting and no distractions is a good environment for doing homework, or at least that's what your parents and teachers think. Environment generally refers to your surroundings. If something is good for the environment, it is beneficial to the complex system of plant and animal life, water and air on Earth. An environment need not be so large, however. The environment of your living room means the tables, chairs and decor that are in the room. Sometimes it refers to the general attitude of a place. Do you thrive in a competitive environment or prefer an atmosphere of cooperation?
Vocabulary lists containing environment
Ecology - Introductory
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Commonly Misspelled Words, List 3
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Natural Resources and the Environment - Introductory
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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:
The decision had been subject to intense debate around its environment and economic impact and came after years of legal challenges.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
Colombian deputy environment minister David Olarte Amaya, who is attending the summit, said the concerns about his country were exaggerated.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
“It’s always fun going into a road stadium, especially in a postseason environment, and coming out with a win and seeing how many people hang around after the game.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
They flew him out to races so he could soak up the outrageous environment of a Grand Prix weekend.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
Surprisingly, the fungal growths were surviving in that harsh environment.
From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown
“Choose the people, habits, and environments that move you closer to where you want to go. Send this to a young athlete who needs this reminder today.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
Identifying those signals could help researchers better understand how wildlife assesses potential threats in environments shared with humans.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026
The animals, native to South America, are the world's largest rodent, and thrive in wet marshland environments.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026
One caveat about the cold-weather pumps is that they need more electricity in frigid environments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
For this book, here is such a sentence: “History followed different courses for different peoples because of differences among peoples’ environments, not because of biological differences among peoples themselves.”
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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