milieu

noun

mi·​lieu mēl-ˈyü How to pronounce milieu (audio) -ˈyər How to pronounce milieu (audio)
-ˈyə,
-ˈyœ;
ˈmēl-ˌyü
plural milieus or milieux mēl-ˈyüz How to pronounce milieu (audio) -ˈyə(r)(z) How to pronounce milieu (audio)
-ˈyœ(z);
ˈmēl-ˌyü(z)
: the physical or social setting in which something occurs or develops : environment

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Milieu Entered English in the 1800s

Milieu comes from Old French mi (meaning "middle") and lieu ("place"). The word refers to an environment or setting. In English, lieu also is used to mean "place" and most often occurs in the phrase "in lieu of," as in "Cash is preferred but in lieu of cash a credit card is acceptable."

Choose the Right Synonym for milieu

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

Examples of milieu in a Sentence

Theirs was a bohemian milieu in which people often played romantic musical chairs. Edmund White, New York Review of Books, 12 Feb. 2009
People in France admire the United States, and much of what passes for anti-Americanism is limited to the intellectual milieu of Paris. Jonathan Alter et al., Newsweek, 29 May 2000
She might stay home, might marry and live as a housewife. And if her milieu does not sanction such a solution, there are, she knows, milieux which do. David Mamet, Jafsie and John Henry: Essays, 1999
Certainly there are very few American milieus today in which having read the latest work of Joyce Carol Oates or Richard Ford is more valuable, as social currency, than having caught the latest John Travolta movie or knowing how to navigate the Web. Jonathan Franzen, Harper's, April 1996
They're caught in their own hazy milieu—working, smoking, talking, drinking. Gerri Hirshey, Rolling Stone, 12 Nov. 1992
young, innovative artists thrive in the freewheeling milieu that a big city offers
Recent Examples on the Web Both heroes raise eyebrows in their new milieu for their naivete, their sartorial flair and their distaste for violence. Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024 The literacy rate in the Palestinian territories is among the highest in the world — more than 97 percent — but even in this milieu, Ramallah Friends shined. Rozina Ali, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024 Geopolitically, things seem to have deteriorated, which created an interesting milieu for my spy — code name Kane — to inhabit. Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 The stakes prove high: in the complex task of creating characters and defining their milieu, filmmakers put themselves on the line, revealing (or, for that matter, concealing) their own personalities and ways of seeing the world. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2024 The milieu included visual artists like Robert Rauschenberg, with whom Mr. Paxton lived from 1962 to 1967. Brian Seibert, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2024 In focusing on the society kerfuffle between Truman Capote and some of the most powerful women of New York’s upper crust, Baitz has a clash that’s entirely inconsequential and yet cataclysmic within its milieu. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2024 One is an artistic milieu, so the German century through the world of art, and the other in the world of German business and industry. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Feb. 2024 Remember, young people looking to enlist have grown up in the milieu of progressive thought. Luther Ray Abel, National Review, 9 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'milieu.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, from Old French, midst, from mi middle (from Latin medius) + lieu place, from Latin locus — more at mid, stall

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of milieu was in 1854

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Dictionary Entries Near milieu

Cite this Entry

“Milieu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/milieu. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

milieu

noun
mi·​lieu mēl-ˈyə(r) How to pronounce milieu (audio) -ˈyü How to pronounce milieu (audio)
ˈmēl-ˌyü

Medical Definition

milieu

noun
mi·​lieu mēl-ˈyə(r) How to pronounce milieu (audio) -ˈyü; ˈmēl-ˌyü How to pronounce milieu (audio)
mē-lyœ̅

More from Merriam-Webster on milieu

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