microenvironment

American  

[mahy-kroh-en-vahy-ern-muhnt, -vahy-ruhn-] / ˌmaɪ kroʊ ɛnˈvaɪ ərn mənt, -ˈvaɪ rən- /

noun

1. the environment of a small area or of a particular organism; microhabitat.

---

microenvironment British  

/ ˈmaɪkrəʊɪnˌvaɪrənmənt /

noun

1. ecology the environment of a small area, such as that around a leaf or plant

---

microenvironment Scientific  

/ mī′krō-ĕn-vī′rən-mənt /

1. The environment of a very small, specific area, distinguished from its immediate surroundings by such factors as the amount of incident light, the degree of moisture, and the range of temperatures. The side of a tree that is shaded from sunlight is a microenvironment that typically supports a somewhat different community of organisms than is found on the side that receives regular light.

2. Also called microhabitat

---

Other Word Forms

• microenvironmental
  adjective

---

Etymology

Origin of microenvironment

First recorded in 1950–55; micro- + environment

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

microenvironment

These results supported the idea that paricalcitol can remodel the tumor microenvironment, potentially making conditions around the cancer less protective.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 4, 2026

The drug also reduced the activation of fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment, providing evidence in patients that supported earlier findings from Salk laboratory studies.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 4, 2026

"They may adopt different functions based on certain cues in the microenvironment and in the tissue, and differentiate into a certain kind of sub-population," Sunwoo said.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026

These tumors often create a "cold" tumor microenvironment that blocks immune cells from launching an effective attack.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 19, 2026

Such a closed nest would have the advantage of greatly moderating the microenvironment within the nest, and would allow the animal within to remain comfortable with a minimum expenditure of energy.

From Comparative Ecology of Pinyon Mice and Deer Mice in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado by Charles L. Douglas

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---