Origin: Latin suffix -al
Environmental has 3 different meanings across 1 category:
concerned with the ecological effects of altering the environment
"environmental pollution"
Pertaining to the environment.
"The environmental impact of the new factory has raised serious concerns among the local community."
In plain English: Environmental means anything related to the natural world and how humans affect it.
"The environmental group organized a clean-up event to protect the local park."
Usage: Use environmental to describe anything related to the natural world or human impact on it, such as environmental protection or environmental policy. Avoid using it to mean merely physical surroundings unless specifically discussing ecological factors.
The word environmental is formed by adding the suffix -al to the noun environment. It entered English as an adjective describing anything related to the surroundings or conditions that affect living things.