installation
Americannoun
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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
On a Pedestal: Marble-ous Words for Sculpture
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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:
Other upgrades included the installation of self-deploying air stairs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Solar has grown from just 10% of the total in the same month five years ago as EU members step up the pace of solar-panel installation, the study shows.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Following installation, consumer group Which? suggests the running costs "vary wildly" and depend on the type of system.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
It handles design, permitting, transportation and installation but farms the construction to large producers such as Champion Homes, a manufacturer that works with multiple retailers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
One artist offered a giant bright installation titled “Underground Springs” made from tin cans roped together, painted flashing purple and silver, spilling forth from a map of Israel on the wall.
From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye
The U.S. targeted Iranian military installations, coastal surveillance sites and communications networks to diminish Tehran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
As part of its larger-than-life participatory art installations, Meow Wolf L.A. will feature a mix of live action and animation, the former filmed by Meow Wolf in its Santa Fe studio.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
The country accounted for 85 percent of the world's humanoid installations last year, according to Barclays bank.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
In the ultra-modern installations, thousands of workers churn out the red gold -- coveted by international markets for its exceptionally high copper content.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
There was a green monitor painted on the outside window, along with hand-lettered signs offering repairs and software installations.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
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.
