environment

en·vi·ron·ment (

n-v

n-m

nt, -v

rn-)

1. The circumstances or conditions that surround one; surroundings.

2. The totality of circumstances surrounding an organism or group of organisms, especially:

a. The combination of external physical conditions that affect and influence the growth, development, and survival of organisms: "We shall never understand the natural environment until we see it as a living organism" Paul Brooks.

b. The complex of social and cultural conditions affecting the nature of an individual or community.

3. Computer Science

a. The entire set of conditions under which one operates a computer, as it relates to the hardware, operating platform, or operating system.

b. An area of a computer's memory used by the operating system and some programs to store certain variables to which they need frequent access.

environment [en-vire-on-ment]

Noun

1. the surroundings in which a person, animal, or plant lives

2. Ecology the environment the natural world of land, sea, air, plants, and animals: nuclear waste must be prevented from leaking into the environment [French environs surroundings]

environmental adj

environment (

n-v

n-m

nt)

All of the biotic and abiotic factors that act on an organism, population, or ecological community and influence its survival and development. Biotic factors include the organisms themselves, their food, and their interactions. Abiotic factors include such items as sunlight, soil, air, water, climate, and pollution. Organisms respond to changes in their environment by evolutionary adaptations in form and behavior.

Environment

See also atmosphere; biology; climate; earth.

anthoecology

the study of the relationship of flowers to their environment. — anthoecologic, anthoecological, adj.

anthroposociology

the study of the effects upon each other of environment and race. — anthroposociologic, anthroposociological, adj.

autecology

the study of an individual organism, or the species regarded collectively, in relation to environment. — autecologic, autecological, adj.

bioecology

the study of the interrelation of plants and animals in their common environment. — bioecologist, n.

bionomics

ecology, Also bionomy. — bionomist, n. — bionomic, bionomical, adj.

biotechnology

ergonomics.

ecesis

the transplanting of a plant to a new environment.

ecocide

destruction of the environment.

ecology, oecology

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.

ecosystem

any area or region regarded as a unit for ecological observation and study of the interrelationships between organisms and their environment.

ecotone

a transitional area or zone between two different forms of vegetation, as between forest and plain. — ecotonal, adj.

ecotype

a type or subspecies of life that is especially well adapted to a certain environment. — ecotypic, adj.

environmentalism

concern for and action on behalf of the environment and its preservation. — environmentalist, n.

ergonomics

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.

euthenics

a science concerned with improving the well-being of mankind through improvement of the environment. — euthenist, n.

genecology

a combination of genetics and ecology that studies animal species and their environment. — genecologist, n. — genecologic, genecological, adj.

konimeter

an instrument for measuring impurities in the air. — konimetric, adj.

konimetry

the measurement of impurities in the air by means of a konimeter. — konimetric, adj.

koniology, coniology

the study of atmospheric dust and other impurities in the air, as germs, pollen, etc., especially regarding their effect on plant and animal life.

miasmology

the study of fogs and smogs, especially those affecting air pollution levels.

oligotrophy

(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.

paleoecology, palaeoecology

the branch of ecology that studies the relationship of ancient plants and animals to their environments. — paleoecologic, palaeoecologic, paleoecological, palaeoecological, adj.

preservationist

a person who is concerned with or active in the preservation of wildlife, historical sites, natural habitats, and other features of the environment.

synecology

the branch of ecology that studies the relationship between plant and animal communities and their environments. — synecologic, synecological, adj.

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun	1.	environment - the totality of surrounding conditions; "he longed for the comfortable environment of his living room" situation, state of affairs - the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time; "the present international situation is dangerous"; "wondered how such a state of affairs had come about"; "eternal truths will be neither true nor eternal unless they have fresh meaning for every new social situation"- Franklin D.Roosevelt circumstance, context, setting - the set of facts or circumstances that surround a situation or event; "the historical context" ecology - the environment as it relates to living organisms; "it changed the ecology of the island" scope, setting, background - the state of the environment in which a situation exists; "you can't do that in a university setting" home - an environment offering affection and security; "home is where the heart is"; "he grew up in a good Christian home"; "there's no place like home" milieu, surroundings - the environmental condition arena, domain, sphere, orbit, area, field - a particular environment or walk of life; "his social sphere is limited"; "it was a closed area of employment"; "he's out of my orbit" street - the streets of a city viewed as a depressed environment in which there is poverty and crime and prostitution and dereliction; "she tried to keep her children off the street"
	2.	environment - the area in which something exists or lives; "the country--the flat agricultural surround" environs, surround, surroundings ambiance, ambience - the atmosphere of an environment medium - the surrounding environment; "fish require an aqueous medium" setting, scene - the context and environment in which something is set; "the perfect setting for a ghost story" element - the most favorable environment for a plant or animal; "water is the element of fishes" geographic area, geographic region, geographical area, geographical region - a demarcated area of the Earth habitat, home ground - the type of environment in which an organism or group normally lives or occurs; "a marine habitat"; "he felt safe on his home grounds" melting pot - an environment in which many ideas and races are socially assimilated parts - the local environment; "he hasn't been seen around these parts in years"