outdoor
Americanadjective
-
Also characteristic of, located, occurring, or belonging outdoors.
an outdoor barbecue; outdoor sports.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of outdoor
Explanation
Things that are outdoor belong outside. Your slippers aren't outdoor shoes, but your snow boots are definitely outdoor shoes. A picnic is an outdoor meal, and a sculpture garden is often an outdoor area of a museum. Bird watching, surfing, and snowball fights are all outdoor activities, and if you're an outdoor enthusiast you probably enjoy them more than watching TV or baking cookies. The adjective outdoor was first used in the 1740s, with the related adverb outdoors following in the 1800s.
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.
Outdoors on the acre lot there’s a pool, spa, lush landscaping and multiple outdoor gathering spaces.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 30, 2026
Flikr Fire, which was previously sold on Amazon, is a round personal fireplace that is sold to consumers for indoor or outdoor use.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2026
The 22-year-old has targeted the oldest-standing athletics world record of 1:53.28 for the outdoor 800m, set by Jarmila Kratochvilova of Czechoslovakia in 1983.
From BBC • Jun. 28, 2026
The capital's largest outdoor music venue, Budapest Park -- which holds the official Pride after-party since 2018 -- hoisted a rainbow flag for the first time ever.
From Barron's • Jun. 27, 2026
Klenam was in the outdoor kitchen ladling soup into bowls, and Mawuli was washing the pans and utensils they had used for the soap making.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
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.
