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:
The show’s unhurried pace, well-spaced installation and superb lighting are of a piece with the objects on view.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2026
Sarah Cifarelli, the LAX arts program director, was thrilled when Sonia-Wallace reached out about doing an installation at the airport.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026
The exact number of poppies on the installation is being kept secret, so as not to spoil a competition for people to guess the total.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
For 26 buildings, the Journal corroborated the damage with a statement from Iranian state-affiliated media of a strike on that installation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2026
By the time he rid himself of them, bells were ringing and Tyrion knew he would be late for the installation.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
Gen Kainerugaba was appointed army chief in March 2024, after previously commanding the SFC, which is responsible for protecting the president and strategic installations.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2026
Dwellow, another company that offers heat pump installations in the UK, is keen to follow suit.
From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2026
American military compounds along the corniche here in Bahrain’s capital are dotted with the charred hulks of destroyed radars and communications installations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2026
The airline expects to have Starlink on nearly 64% of its daily flights by the end of this year, it says, and complete installations by the end of 2027.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2026
So we packed up and moved the 358 miles east to the Hampton Roads area, the largest ice-free harbor in the United States and home to some of the nation’s most important military installations.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
