en•vi•ron•ment
(ɛnˈvaɪ rən mənt, -ˈvaɪ ərn-)
n. 1. the aggregate of surrounding things, conditions, or influences; surroundings; milieu.
2. the air, water, minerals, organisms, and all other external factors surrounding and affecting a given organism at any time.
3. the social and cultural forces that shape the life of a person or a population.
4. the hardware or software configuration of a computer system.
[1825–30]
en•vi`ron•men′tal, adj.
en•vi`ron•men′tal•ly, adv.
syn: environment,
milieu,
ambiance,
setting refer to the objects, conditions, or circumstances that influence the life of an individual or community.
environment may refer to physical or to social and cultural surroundings:
an environment of grinding poverty.
milieu, encountered most often in literary writing, refers to intangible surroundings:
a milieu of artistic innovation.
ambiance applies to the mood or tone of the surroundings:
an ambiance of ease and elegance.
setting tends to highlight the person or thing surrounded by or set against a background:
a lovely setting for a wedding.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
Environment
the study of the relationship of flowers to their environment. — anthoecologic, anthoecological, adj.
the study of the effects upon each other of environment and race. — anthroposociologic, anthroposociological, adj.
the study of an individual organism, or the species regarded collectively, in relation to environment. — autecologic, autecological, adj.
the study of the interrelation of plants and animals in their common environment. — bioecologist, n.
ecology, Also bionomy. — bionomist, n. — bionomic, bionomical, adj.
ergonomics.
the transplanting of a plant to a new environment.
destruction of the environment.
1. the branch of biology that studies the relationship of organisms and environments. Also called bionomics, bionomy.
2. the branch of sociology that studies the environmental spacing and interdependence of people and their institutions, as in rural or urban settings. — ecologist, oecologist, n. — ecologie, oecologic, ecological, oecological, adj.
any area or region regarded as a unit for ecological observation and study of the interrelationships between organisms and their environment.
a transitional area or zone between two different forms of vegetation, as between forest and plain. — ecotonal, adj.
a type or subspecies of life that is especially well adapted to a certain environment. — ecotypic, adj.
concern for and action on behalf of the environment and its preservation. — environmentalist, n.
the study of the relation of man to the environment in which he works and the application of anatomical, physiological, psychological, and engineering knowledge to the problems involved. Also called biotechnology. — ergonomic, adj.
a science concerned with improving the well-being of mankind through improvement of the environment. — euthenist, n.
a combination of genetics and ecology that studies animal species and their environment. — genecologist, n. — genecologic, genecological, adj.
an instrument for measuring impurities in the air. — konimetric, adj.
the measurement of impurities in the air by means of a konimeter. — konimetric, adj.
the study of atmospheric dust and other impurities in the air, as germs, pollen, etc., especially regarding their effect on plant and animal life.
the study of fogs and smogs, especially those affecting air pollution levels.
(of lakes) the quality of containing a low accumulation of dissolved nutrient salts, thus supporting little plant or animal life and having a high oxygen content owing to the low organic content. — oligotrophic, adj.
the branch of ecology that studies the relationship of ancient plants and animals to their environments. — paleoecologic, palaeoecologic, paleoecological, palaeoecological, adj.
a person who is concerned with or active in the preservation of wildlife, historical sites, natural habitats, and other features of the environment.
the branch of ecology that studies the relationship between plant and animal communities and their environments. — synecologic, synecological, adj.
-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.