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:
To give her 8-year-old daughter Sigrid a similar experience, she pays for her to visit a junkyard playground on this former Coast Guard installation in New York City.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
The vehicle authority, overseen by a governor-appointed board that includes Laredo’s police chief, Miguel Rodriguez, had completely covered Laredo’s installation costs for its 165 cameras, according to a police department spokesperson.
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026
Her installation of aprons, made of silk printed with her photography and archival images, speaks to women’s toil at home and in the workforce—both realms where their efforts historically have been overlooked and underappreciated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Network designers, field support engineers, installers, all need to learn new skills around installation and servicing.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
I had to return to Johannesburg, and I could not even stay to attend his installation.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Nearby, at Swoon Art House on the north Broadway corridor of the art district, founder Rebecca DiDomenico stages multimedia installations inside a striking circular building with rammed-earth walls.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026
The DOE cited California’s military installations, declining oil production, and dependence on imported crude.
From Slate ● Sep. 25, 2026
The 46-year-old builds sculptures, art installations, archives and community.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama, who became famous later in life for her work in sculptures and installations, has died aged 97, her company has confirmed.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
There was a green monitor painted on the outside window, along with hand-lettered signs offering repairs and software installations.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
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.
