Origin: Latin suffix -ment
Environment has 3 different meanings across 1 category:
the totality of surrounding conditions
"he longed for the comfortable environment of his living room"
the area in which something exists or lives
"the country--the flat agricultural surround"
The surroundings of, and influences on, a particular item of interest.
"The success of the rare orchid depends entirely on its environment, where humidity and soil nutrients must be perfectly balanced for it to thrive."
In plain English: The environment is everything around you, including the air, water, land, and all living things that share your world.
"The school decided to plant more trees to improve the environment for the students."
Usage: Use "environment" to describe the natural world or the specific conditions surrounding an organism, situation, or object. It refers broadly to external factors that influence development or operation rather than the internal state of the subject itself.
The word entered English from Middle French, where it originally described the act of surrounding or encircling something. Today, we use "environment" to refer to the natural world or conditions that surround a person or organism, a meaning that evolved from its literal sense of being enclosed.