environs
Americanplural noun
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the surrounding parts or districts, as of a city; outskirts; suburbs.
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surrounding objects; surroundings; environment.
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an area or space close by; vicinity.
plural noun
Etymology
Origin of environs
1655–65; < French (plural); replacing Middle English environ < Old French, noun use of environ around; see environ
Explanation
The environs are the areas surrounding a specific place. If you want to go to Boston and its environs on vacation, you might spend time in downtown Boston, but you may also visit Cambridge, Braintree, and Lexington. In general, the environs are the areas surrounding a particular place or location. Environs is a plural noun taking a plural verb, and it comes from an Old French word, environer, meaning to enclose, surround, or encircle. When you book your hotel reservations, you should make sure the environs around the hotel are safe. No matter how clean the hotel is or how good the breakfast, you wouldn't want to stay in an area where you would be leery of going out at night.
Vocabulary lists containing environs
The Federalist Papers, No. 70 by Alexander Hamilton
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Elijah of Buxton
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Emma
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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.
A science center also was included in the plans shared with the Nebraska Capitol Environs Commission earlier this week.
From Washington Times • Nov. 17, 2018
The latest is The Environs of Rouen, painted in 1960, luminous proof of how apt was his self-summation as a "cubist impressionist."
From Time Magazine Archive
I consider Lysons to have been the first author who mentions the subject and at Environs, vol. iii.
From Notes and Queries, Number 64, January 18, 1851 by Various
The following is a foot-note to Fisher's History and Antiquities of Rochester and its Environs, MDCCLXXII.
From A Week's Tramp in Dickens-Land by Hughes, William R. (William Richard)
This picture, "Environs of Southampton," was typical of the work he was to do.
From McClure's Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 5, April, 1896 by Various
Definitions 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.
