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installation

American  
[in-stuh-ley-shuhn] / ˌɪn stəˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

  1. something installed, install, as machinery or apparatus placed in position or connected for use.

  2. the act of installing. install.

  3. the fact of being installed. install.

  4. Military. any more or less permanent post, camp, station, base, or the like, for the support or carrying on of military activities.

installation British  
/ ˌɪnstəˈleɪʃən /

noun

  1. the act of installing or the state of being installed

  2. a large device, system, or piece of equipment that has been installed

  3. a military establishment usually serving in a support role

  4. 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • preinstallation noun
  • reinstallation noun

Etymology

Origin of installation

First recorded in 1600–10, installation is from the Medieval Latin word installātiōn- (stem of installātiō ). See install, -ation

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.

The installation also features tools from scribal workshops and information about the restoration of “Ankhmerwer.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

The Scottish government has confirmed that it intends to wait 10 years before significantly ramping up the installation of heat pumps.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

A magnificently designed system, the Star flopped, in part because of its price — a fully networked installation with multiple terminals could cost $250,000, more than even big corporations were willing to spend.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

But it’s worth remembering a theory developed by economist Carlota Perez in the early 2000s: Big Bang technologies follow a predictable three-step life cycle of installation boom, mid point financial crisis and longer term adoption.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

Only a short time after becoming queen, Cleopatra took part in the installation of the Buchis bull—one of the divine animals worshipped by the Egyptians.

From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby

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.