environment

noun 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

2 a :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

—

environmental

play \in-ˌvī-rə(n)-ˈmen-tᵊl, -ˌvī(-ə)r(n)-\ adjective

—

environmentally

play \in-ˌvī-rə(n)-ˈmen-tᵊl-ē, -ˌvī(-ə)r(n)-\ adverb

See environment defined for English-language learners

See environment defined for kids

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.

Recent Examples of environment from the Web

This is the same media environment in which Trump’s own political worldview and rhetorical tools were forged.

— philip bump, Washington Post, "Why is whataboutism having a moment?," 29 Aug. 2017
The interior is designed to be a comfortable learning environment and gathering space.

— allison sampite-montecalvo, sandiegouniontribune.com, "I.B. library nominated for local architectural awards," 29 Aug. 2017
The environment won’t be the only unfamiliar aspect of the trip for the No.

— adam jude, The Seattle Times, "Huskies head back east to face uncertainty on defense at Rutgers," 27 Aug. 2017
There are a number of intriguing options, such as sending a spacecraft back to Saturn's moon Enceladus to study the water environment there, or to Jupiter's moon Io to study the highly active volcanoes and surface lava lakes.

— jay bennett, Popular Mechanics, "Scientists Push for a Helicopter Drone to Explore Saturn's Moon Titan," 24 Aug. 2017
Williams said the department has addressed abuse at Tutwiler, and is working hard to change the environment to reduce stress on women inside.

— amy yurkanin, AL.com, "Poor, rural and addicted: Drugs drive surge in white women in prison," 24 Aug. 2017
Rancho Bernardans can learn Thursday night about the City of San Diego possibly taking on the energy purchasing function currently held by San Diego Gas & Electric in order to help the environment for decades to come.

— elizabeth marie himchak, Rancho Bernardo, "Forum to focus on City of San Diego's energy options," 23 Aug. 2017
If this trend continues, study authors estimate there will be more than 26 million pounds of plastic waste in landfills and/or the environment by 2050.

— ashley oerman, Cosmopolitan, "7 Reasons You Should Never Drink Out Of Plastic Water Bottles," 22 Aug. 2017
Still, some critics and employees said the Murdochs ousted Mr. Ailes and Mr. O’Reilly only because of public scrutiny, and that the work environment had not been completely reformed.

— emily steel, New York Times, "For Murdoch Empire, Perhaps a Decisive Point in Relationship to Trump," 18 Aug. 2017

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.

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").

First Known Use of environment

1827

environment Synonyms

Synonyms

ambient, atmosphere, climate, clime, context, contexture, environs, medium, milieu, mise-en-scène, setting, surround, surroundings, terrain

Related Words

location, place, position, space; backdrop, background; element; situation, status; geography, habitat; microenvironment

Synonym Discussion of 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

Other Ecology Terms

Malthusian, anthropogenic, biomass, carbon footprint, crepuscular, niche, sere, symbiosis, taiga, tundra

ENVIRONMENT Defined for English Language Learners

environment

noun

Definition of environment for English Language Learners

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

ENVIRONMENT Defined for Kids

environment

noun en·vi·ron·ment \ in-ˈvī-rən-mənt , -ˈvī-ərn-mənt \

Definition of environment for Students

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

Medical Dictionary

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

—