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environment

noun
en·​vi·​ron·​ment | \ in-ˈvī-rə(n)-mənt How to pronounce environment (audio) , -ˈvī(-ə)r(n)- How to pronounce environment (audio) \

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 Learn More about environment

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Other Words from environment

environmental \ in-​ˌvī-​rə(n)-​ˈmen-​tᵊl How to pronounce environmental (audio) , -​ˌvī(-​ə)r(n)-​ \ adjective
environmentally \ in-​ˌvī-​rə(n)-​ˈmen-​tᵊl-​ē How to pronounce environmentally (audio) , -​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.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Plastics, toxic battery acids, and other products may stay in the environment. — National Geographic, "The environmental impacts of cars, explained," 15 Sep. 2019 Kids thrive in this environment because most of us as parents can’t keep up with the pace of change in technology, or turn our head to what our kids might be putting out there. — Bird Brown, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Bird Brown: It’s time to get in front of social media’s dark side," 15 Sep. 2019 Others may become devotees, tickled by the thought of partying and/or holding business meetings in such an environment. — John Wenzel, The Know, "Urban Putt transforms Denver’s Old Spaghetti Factory into surreal mini-golf playground (with a bar)," 13 Sep. 2019 Of course, in such an environment, failure rarely happens. — Michael K. Mcintyre, cleveland.com, "‘Mass Hysteria’ festival brings laughter from women’s point of view," 12 Sep. 2019 But in that environment, why bother with the pricey show at all? — Marc Bain, Quartzy, "Do fashion weeks still have a purpose?," 7 Sep. 2019 It can be seen in the environment: Older model vehicles abandoned with newer cars in a warzone. — Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, "Review: ‘Gears of War 5’ uses past to set path for its future," 6 Sep. 2019 Despite being the newbie on campus, Charlotte likely won't have any problems adjusting to the new environment. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Prince George and Princess Charlotte Arrive for Their First Day of School," 5 Sep. 2019 In such an environment, loud talk with no action suits both governments. — Johann Chacko, Quartz India, "Like Pakistan, India may soon face the catastrophic costs of steroid-driven nationalism," 3 Sep. 2019

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.

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First Known Use of environment

1827, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Statistics for environment

Last Updated

19 Oct 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for environment

The first known use of environment was in 1827

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More Definitions for environment

environment

noun
How to pronounce environment (audio) How to pronounce environment (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of environment

: the conditions that surround someone or something : the conditions and influences that affect the growth, health, progress, etc., of someone or something
: the natural world

See the full definition for environment in the English Language Learners Dictionary

environment

noun
en·​vi·​ron·​ment | \ in-ˈvī-rən-mənt How to pronounce environment (audio) , -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 How to pronounce environment (audio) , -ˈvī(-ə)rn- How to pronounce environment (audio) \

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-​ How to pronounce environmental (audio) \ adjective
environmentally \ -​ᵊl-​ē How to pronounce environmentally (audio) \ adverb

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More from Merriam-Webster on environment

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for environment

Spanish Central: Translation of environment

Nglish: Translation of environment for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of environment for Arabic Speakers

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