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Who warned of the harmful effects of pesticides on the environment in the 1962 book Silent Spring?

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environment

American  

[en-vahy-ruhn-muhnt, -vahy-ern-] / ɛnˈvaɪ rən mənt, -ˈvaɪ ərn- /

noun

• environments
  plural

1. 

   the aggregate of surrounding things, conditions, or influences; surroundings; milieu.

   Synonyms:

   environs, locale

2. Ecology. the air, water, minerals, organisms, and all other external factors surrounding and affecting a given organism at any time.

3. the social and cultural forces that shape the life of a person or a population.

4. 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.

5. an indoor or outdoor setting characterized by the presence of environmental art that is designed specifically to make use of that site.

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environment British  

/ ɪnˈvaɪrənmənt /

noun

1. external conditions or surroundings, esp those in which people live or work

2. ecology the external surroundings in which a plant or animal lives, which tend to influence its development and behaviour

3. the state of being environed; encirclement

4. computing an operating system, program, or integrated suite of programs that provides all the facilities necessary for a particular application

   a word-processing environment

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environment Scientific  

/ ĕn-vī′rən-mənt /

1. All of the biotic and abiotic factors that act on an organism, population, or ecological community and influence its survival and development. Biotic factors include the organisms themselves, their food, and their interactions. Abiotic factors include such items as sunlight, soil, air, water, climate, and pollution. Organisms respond to changes in their environment by evolutionary adaptations in form and behavior.

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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

• environmental
  adjective
• environmentally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• environments
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of environment

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Middle French environnement; see environ, -ment

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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?

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

environment environments

And that could be a tough environment for e-commerce players.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

"Queen's continues to monitor the financial and funding environment closely and remains focused on managing resources responsibly to protect the university's long-term financial sustainability while continuing to deliver for our students, staff and wider society."

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026

"The current criminal threat environment is febrile and when it comes to federal parliamentarians, the AFP continues to record the growing volume of online abuse, threatening rhetoric and intimidation," she said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026

These cells normally protect the nervous system by removing debris, responding to injuries, and helping maintain a healthy environment for neurons.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026

It is truly the most hostile environment this side of the moon.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong

Those environments are very hard to replicate, and the games in Brazil, in front of huge, hostile crowds, were an especially important part of the preparation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

The animals, native to South America, are the world's largest rodent, and thrive in wet marshland environments.

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026

These interactions allow the elements to absorb a much wider range of light wavelengths than they would in less dense environments.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 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

Professionals encourage and support environments that produce trust by demonstrating integrity through ethical and inclusive decision-making.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

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Related Words

• climate
• habitat
• mise en scène
• setting
• situation
• status
• surroundings

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