environment

noun

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en·vi·ron·ment | \ in-ˈvī-rə(n)-mənt

, -ˈvī(-ə)r(n)-

Definition of environment

1 : the circumstances, objects, or conditions by which one is surrounded

2a : the complex of physical, chemical, and biotic factors (such as climate, soil, and living things) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival

b : the aggregate of social and cultural conditions that influence the life of an individual or community

3 : the position or characteristic position of a linguistic element in a sequence

4 : a computer interface from which various tasks can be performed a programming environment

Other Words from environment Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Meanings of Environment More Example Sentences Phrases Containing environment Learn More About environment

Other Words from environment

environmental \ in-ˌvī-rə(n)-ˈmen-tᵊl

, -ˌvī(-ə)r(n)- \ adjective

environmentally \ in-ˌvī-rə(n)-ˈmen-tᵊl-ē

, -ˌvī(-ə)r(n)- \ adverb

Choose the Right Synonym for environment

background, setting, environment, milieu, mise-en-scène mean the place, time, and circumstances in which something occurs. background often refers to the circumstances or events that precede a phenomenon or development. the shocking decision was part of the background of the riots setting suggests looking at real-life situations in literary or dramatic terms. a militant reformer who was born into an unlikely social setting environment applies to all the external factors that have a formative influence on one's physical, mental, or moral development. the kind of environment that produces juvenile delinquents milieu applies especially to the physical and social surroundings of a person or group of persons. an intellectual milieu conducive to artistic experimentation mise-en-scène strongly suggests the use of properties to achieve a particular atmosphere or theatrical effect. a gothic thriller with a carefully crafted mise-en-scène

Meanings of Environment

Descending from the Middle French preposition environ “around,” environment , in its most basic meaning, is “that which surrounds.” When preceded by the and unmodified, it usually refers to the natural world (“please don’t litter if you care about the environment”). In a less physical, more extended sense, it may signify the circumstances and conditions that make up everyday life (“He grew up in a loving environment.”) The word may also be applied in highly specialized ways, denoting, for example, “the position of a linguistic element” (“how g gets pronounced in Italian depends upon its phonetic environment”) or “a computer interface from which various tasks can be performed” (“the app works in varied environments").

Examples of environment in a Sentence

He grew up in a loving environment. We're trying to create a better business environment. These animals were raised in a controlled environment. Many plants are unable to survive in such a harsh environment. Heredity and environment are both important. Pollution is bad for the environment. See More

Recent Examples on the Web The family includes 5,000 compounds, which are persistent, remaining both in the environment and the human body over time. — Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 15 June 2022 Moreover, what happens in the environment does not always track what happens in the laboratory. — Meg Wilcox, Scientific American, 15 June 2022 More recently, worries about inflation and the path of interest-rate increases have provoked turmoil in markets as well as vigorous debate over the right valuations for stocks in the current environment. — Nick Timiraos, WSJ, 14 June 2022 Despite the potentially transitory headwinds in the current environment, Palantir’s long-term outlook remains intact. — Trefis Team, Forbes, 13 June 2022 As a result, crypto exchanges have been among the quickest to cut jobs in the current environment. — Michael Bellusci, Fortune, 3 June 2022 Complete diversification means owning all sectors and companies, and, in the current environment, that definitely includes traditional fossil fuel companies. — New York Times, 3 June 2022 The defense said their client could not get a fair trial in the current environment. — From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 1 June 2022 The current political environment, Naftali says, undermines the American political tradition of lawmakers being problem solvers. — Brian Bennett, Time, 1 June 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'environment.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Learn More About environment

Dictionary Entries Near environment

environ

environment

environmentalism

Statistics for environment

Last Updated

17 Jun 2022

Cite this Entry

“Environment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/environment. Accessed 27 Jun. 2022.

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More Definitions for environment

environment

noun

en·vi·ron·ment | \ in-ˈvī-rən-mənt

, -ˈvī-ərn-mənt \

Kids Definition of environment

1 : a person's physical surroundings He lives in a comfortable rural environment.

2 : the surrounding conditions or forces (as soil, climate, and living things) that influence a plant's or animal's characteristics and ability to survive

3 : the social and cultural conditions that affect the life of a person or community a happy home environment

environment

noun

en·vi·ron·ment | \ in-ˈvī-rən-mənt

, -ˈvī(-ə)rn-

Medical Definition of environment

1 : the complex of physical, chemical, and biotic factors (as climate, soil, and living things) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival

2 : the aggregate of social and cultural conditions that influence the life of an individual or community

Other Words from environment

environmental \ -ˌvī-rən-ˈment-ᵊl, -ˌvī(-ə)rn-

\ adjective

environmentally \ -ᵊl-ē

\ adverb