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:
Since the French satellite operator reported its results in August, Lufthansa has put its first Starlink aircraft into service and SAS has completed installation across 81 A320neos, he notes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
To give her 8-year-old daughter Sigrid a similar experience, she pays for her to visit a junkyard playground on this former Coast Guard installation in New York City.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
The vehicle authority, overseen by a governor-appointed board that includes Laredo’s police chief, Miguel Rodriguez, had completely covered Laredo’s installation costs for its 165 cameras, according to a police department spokesperson.
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026
Scars caused to rare seahorse habitats by boat anchors off the Dorset coast are starting to heal, thanks to the installation of new moorings.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
Olmsted in particular felt the pressure but also felt hobbled by the persistent delays in installation of exhibits and the damage done by the repeated comings and goings of drays and freight cars.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
The DOE cited California’s military installations, declining oil production, and dependence on imported crude.
From Slate ● Sep. 25, 2026
The 46-year-old builds sculptures, art installations, archives and community.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
The exhibition includes the North American museum debut of two installations in addition to daily live performances and other works made during the past two decades.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama, who became famous later in life for her work in sculptures and installations, has died aged 97, her company has confirmed.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
In English, that meant: To all units: Japanese are booby-trapping personnel equipment, installations, and bivouacs.
From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac
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.
