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:
Further west, a German military operational command spokesman told AFP on Saturday that drones were detected this week above an army installation in western Germany known to house a large underground depot.
From Barron's ● Aug. 8, 2026
“This installation, gifted by East Lothian Council and re-envisaged by the people of North Berwick, explores several themes surrounding local democracy and public resistance,” a laminated note said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
The hardware will prepare the station’s 3B power channel for the future installation of new roll-out solar arrays.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
The department’s own records described repeated installation failures and extensive peeling of the pool liner weeks before the alleged vandalism was ever said to have occurred.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
This lady’s name was Mrs. Coiler, and I had the honour of taking her down to dinner on the day of my installation.
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
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
The report estimated that rooftop installations had nearly doubled in the archipelago nation of 116 million since early 2025.
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
Debussy, along with twenty-eight million other visitors, spent an engrossing time wandering around the exotic installations from distant continents.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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.
