Milieu

/ˈmiːljɜː/ · noun

Meaning

An environment or setting; a medium; environs.

Definitions by Sense

1. An environment or setting; a medium; environs
2. (specifically) A social environment or setting.
3. A group of people with a common point of view; a social class or group.

Example Sentences

Australian cinema is a messy affair. It is a messiness not only in our ways of knowing, reading, consuming and producing films and the larger film-making milieu of which they are a part, but also a messiness among the films themselves […]

In the electronic milieu, accuracy is accomplished by the technology, and the appropriate strategy for judgment is likely to entail ensuring coherence within and across electronic and naturalistic components of the ecology.

The library as solely a physical space will not survive in the digital milieu. Services should be directed towards user needs and desires in the current academic climate.

The question is, then, what is the relationship of biblical narrative to its literary milieu? […] One must simultaneously biblical narrative in light of its clear historical connections to its literary milieu, while carefully analyzing the profound differences separating it from its milieu as well.

The distinction between the constituents in, and the conditions of, the integral life-career of person is well brought out in contrasting the attitudes of attention which persons normally develop with the milieux or social media which serve as the theater for their exercise. […] The assertive attitude of challenge finds its milieux in the domains of sport, art, exercise, industry, etc., to which the conception of gestalt may well be extended.

Confronted by the multiplicity of the milieus that could influence curriculum activity, we need some way of deciding not only what kinds of milieus should claim our attention, but also what kinds of knowledge about them we should attend to.

The unmistakable directness and violence of Jesus' action shows it to have been undertaken and executed precisely as if the milieu were indeed not there to be counted. Here again is the character of action taken in the very face of the milieu without taking any notice of it. In any event, the one certainty is that the Roman milieu, so entirely ignored by his teaching, here came conclusively to touch upon it, putting Jesus to an end.

Certain milieus are described as cosmopolitan. Typically these are artistic, intellectual and bohemian milieus, but also the world of international business and high finance, and some mafias and underworlds.

Synonyms for milieu

Antonyms for milieu

Related Words

Word Forms

• milieux
• milieus

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

Practice and Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions