n.
Pronunciation: in- ' v ī -r ə (n)-m ə nt, - ' v ī (- ə )r(n)-
Function: noun
Date: 1827
1 : the circumstances, objects, or conditions by which one is surrounded
2 a : the complex of physical, chemical, and biotic factors (as climate, soil, and living things) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival b : the aggregate of social and cultural conditions that influence the life of an individual or community
3 : the position or characteristic position of a linguistic element in a sequence
4 : a computer interface from which various tasks can be performed <a programming environment >
synonyms see BACKGROUND
– en · vi · ron · men · tal \ - ˌ v ī -r ə (n)- ' men-t ə l, - ˌ v ī (- ə )r(n)- \ adjective
– en · vi · ron · men · tal · ly \ -t ə l- ē \ adverb