Word of the Day

: March 6, 2022

milieu

noun meel-YOO

What It Means

A milieu is the physical or social setting in which something occurs or develops. The word is synonymous with environment.

// The quiet suburban neighborhood provides the perfect milieu for raising a family.

See the entry >

milieu in Context

"Before the pandemic, a lot of people were focused on how to make a home office sustainable … and that includes not only how the milieu is conducive to productivity, but also how it helps you establish a good work-life balance….." — Ashlee Piper, quoted in Entrepreneur, 10 Feb. 2022

Did You Know?

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."