microenvironment

American  

[mahy-kroh-en-vahy-ern-muhnt, -vahy-ruhn-] / ˌmaɪ kroʊ ɛnˈvaɪ ərn mənt, -ˈvaɪ rən- /

noun

1. the environment of a small area or of a particular organism; microhabitat.

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microenvironment British  

/ ˈmaɪkrəʊɪnˌvaɪrənmənt /

noun

1. ecology the environment of a small area, such as that around a leaf or plant

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microenvironment Scientific  

/ mī′krō-ĕn-vī′rən-mənt /

1. The environment of a very small, specific area, distinguished from its immediate surroundings by such factors as the amount of incident light, the degree of moisture, and the range of temperatures. The side of a tree that is shaded from sunlight is a microenvironment that typically supports a somewhat different community of organisms than is found on the side that receives regular light.

2. Also called microhabitat

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Other Word Forms

• microenvironmental
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of microenvironment

First recorded in 1950–55; micro- + environment

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

microenvironment

These results supported the idea that paricalcitol can remodel the tumor microenvironment, potentially making conditions around the cancer less protective.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 4, 2026

Researchers then examined the relationship among hyperglycemia, HSF1, the tumor microenvironment, and the immune system's ability to attack cancer cells.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 1, 2026

At the same time, they disrupted metabolic processes across several types of cells within the tumor microenvironment, further slowing tumor growth.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 9, 2026

"The drug creates an immune microenvironment within the tumor, and essentially replaces the tumor with these tertiary lymphoid structures."

From Science Daily ● Mar. 16, 2026

Such a closed nest would have the advantage of greatly moderating the microenvironment within the nest, and would allow the animal within to remain comfortable with a minimum expenditure of energy.

From Comparative Ecology of Pinyon Mice and Deer Mice in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado by Charles L. Douglas

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