installation

American  

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

noun

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

2. the act of installing.

3. the fact of being installed.

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

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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

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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

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."

Example Sentences

There is beauty in even the smallest action and output from Saar — something Barbatti wanted people to feel in the installation.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

While there’s less floor space dedicated to the permanent collection, a new installation of intimately scaled works offers a more insightful overview of its holdings than the earlier display.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

If the homeowner leases the panels or pays a third party for the power they produce, the installation can still receive government subsidies.

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

Aotearoa New Zealand Statue of Peace, a local grassroots group that proposed the installation of the statue, said it was "unfortunate" that authorities rejected it.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

Groves’s order to freeze the calutron design was honored only in the most general terms, and then only for the very first units to be shipped for installation at Oak Ridge.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• base
• establishment
• machinery
• plant
• station
• system
• wiring