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
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:
Once assembled, the units went back on trucks bound for Moffett Field, a military installation, where they were loaded into hulking C- 5 transport planes and flown to their final—classified—destinations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
Chinese tech giants seeking to take advantage of the interest in OpenClaw have been offering simplified installation and affordable coding plans to help users host its agents on cloud servers.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
Army installation in New Jersey into a sprawling film complex with 12 soundstages.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
Banksy claimed responsibility with a video on Instagram showing the night-time installation.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Now that the chief had said this, the people made an effort to be cheerful, and they listened carefully as the chief ordered the preparation of the ceremony and celebrations for Ditshabe’s installation.
From "The Girl Who Married a Lion: and Other Tales from Africa" by Alexander Mccall Smith
It includes the construction of fortifications, equipment depots, as well as reconnaissance and anti-drone installations.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
He professed a fondness for Tupac Shakur and electronic dance music, discussed UFO sightings around U.S. military installations and admitted his ideal fall Saturday involves spending hours watching college football.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
Banksy, who emerged from Bristol's graffiti scene in the 1990s and became one of the world's most famous street artists, is known for murals and installations that often appear overnight and attract large crowds.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Deeper into the grounds, fans delighted in interactive art installations — from a replica of Pinky’s Records & Discs to Craig’s front porch.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
By the end of March, the last US combat troops pulled out of Vietnam, leaving ten thousand Americans: military advisors, Marines to protect US installations, and non-military personnel.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
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.
