environment

Meanings

1. 1nounusually singular

   The natural world of land, water, air, plants, and animals, especially as affected by humans.

   Grammar: Usually singular with the: protect the environment, not protect an environment.

   Patterns

   • protect the environment
   • damage the environment
   • the environment and something

   We should use less plastic to protect the environment.

   The report examines how farming affects the environment.

   Cleaner buses would help the environment in cities.

2. 2nouncountable

   The surrounding conditions in which a person, animal, plant, or organization lives or operates.

   Grammar: Use an or a for one situation; plural is common when comparing places.

   Patterns

   • a learning environment
   • a work environment
   • create an environment

   The school provides a calm learning environment.

   Plants grow faster in a warm, humid environment.

   Good managers create an environment where people can ask questions.

3. 3nouncountablecomputing

   The particular hardware, software, settings, and tools used to run or test a program.

   Grammar: Common in computing; often appears in compounds like test environment.

   Patterns

   • a test environment
   • a development environment
   • in a production environment

   Run the update in a test environment first.

   The app behaves differently in a production environment.

   She set up a local environment for the project.

Word forms

Common combinations

protect the environment

The city planted trees to protect the environment.

learning environment

Soft lighting improved the learning environment.

work environment

A fair work environment helps people stay healthy.

environmental damage

The spill caused serious environmental damage.

Synonyms and how they differ

surroundings

Surroundings means the immediate area around someone, not always the whole natural world.

habitat

Habitat is the natural home of an animal or plant, narrower than environment.

setting

Setting means background context and is less scientific than environment.

Word family

environmental adjective

Relating to the natural world or to conditions around something.

environmentalist noun

A person who works to protect the natural world.

environmentally adverb

In a way that concerns the environment.

Commonly confused: environment or ecology?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “environment”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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