environment
Americannoun
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environments
plural
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the aggregate of surrounding things, conditions, or influences; surroundings; milieu.
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Ecology. the air, water, minerals, organisms, and all other external factors surrounding and affecting a given organism at any time.
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the social and cultural forces that shape the life of a person or a population.
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Computers. the hardware or software configuration, or the mode of operation, of a computer system.
In a time-sharing environment, transactions are processed as they occur.
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an indoor or outdoor setting characterized by the presence of environmental art that is designed specifically to make use of that site.
noun
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external conditions or surroundings, esp those in which people live or work
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ecology the external surroundings in which a plant or animal lives, which tend to influence its development and behaviour
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the state of being environed; encirclement
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computing an operating system, program, or integrated suite of programs that provides all the facilities necessary for a particular application
a word-processing environment
Synonym Usage
Environment, milieu, ambiance, setting, surroundings all refer to what makes up the atmosphere or background against which someone or something is seen. Environment may refer either to actual physical surroundings or to social or cultural background factors: an environment of crime and grinding poverty. Milieu, encountered most often in literary writing, refers to intangible aspects of the environment: an exhilarating milieu of artistic ferment and innovation. Ambiance applies to the atmosphere of the surroundings, their mood or tone: an ambiance of ease and elegance. Setting suggests a background that sets something off: a perfect setting for the emerald. Surroundings alludes specifically to the physical aspects of the environment: awoke in strange surroundings; blend in with her surroundings. See ecosystem ( def. ).
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of environment
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Middle French environnement; see environ, -ment
Explanation
Think of the environment as everything that is around you. A quiet room with good lighting and no distractions is a good environment for doing homework, or at least that's what your parents and teachers think. Environment generally refers to your surroundings. If something is good for the environment, it is beneficial to the complex system of plant and animal life, water and air on Earth. An environment need not be so large, however. The environment of your living room means the tables, chairs and decor that are in the room. Sometimes it refers to the general attitude of a place. Do you thrive in a competitive environment or prefer an atmosphere of cooperation?
Vocabulary lists containing environment
Ecology - Introductory
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Commonly Misspelled Words, List 3
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Natural Resources and the Environment - Introductory
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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:
The decision had been subject to intense debate around its environment and economic impact and came after years of legal challenges.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
"We continue to operate in a very tough environment with strong external challenges: de-globalisation, hypercompetition and climate change," chief executive Hakan Samuelsson said in a statement.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
“It’s always fun going into a road stadium, especially in a postseason environment, and coming out with a win and seeing how many people hang around after the game.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
Ultimately, like all periods of exceptional margins, the current environment has given the refiners only a “temporary boost of life,” Gilks said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
The place seemed deserted, sleepy even, which wasn’t the usual environment a Butterfly liked to work in.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
In addition, New Zealand’s Wētā FX created the movie’s stunning digital environments and visual effects.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
"But even at slow swim speeds, one could imagine a muscle-powered swimmer being used for purposes like environmental monitoring in aquatic environments."
From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2026
Peta says birds can become "frightened, disoriented and panicked" in stadium environments, putting themselves and fans at risk.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
One caveat about the cold-weather pumps is that they need more electricity in frigid environments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
He’d heard horror stories from Bits before about how toxic the environments could be, but Martin was always quick to leap to Moss’s defense if needed.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
