environ

¹ American  

[en-vahy-ruhn, -vahy-ern] / ɛnˈvaɪ rən, -ˈvaɪ ərn /

verb (used with object)

1. to form a circle or ring round; surround; envelop.

   a house environed by pleasant grounds; to be environed by bad influences.

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environ. ² American  

abbreviation

1. environment.

2. environmental.

3. environmentalism.

4. environmentalist.

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environ British  

/ ɪnˈvaɪrən /

verb

1. (tr) to encircle or surround

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Other Word Forms

• unenvironed adjective

Etymology

Origin of environ

1300–50; Middle English envirounen < Old French environner, derivative of environ around ( en en- ¹ + viron a circle; vir ( er ) to turn, veer ¹ + -on noun suffix)

Example Sentences

The Beach Boys song remains familiar and hummable, but not overly so; it’s warm and inviting, even as it picks up in cadence and transports you to a smooth new environ.

From Washington Post • Dec. 29, 2021

As part of this environ, 5 to 7 percent of the faculty and about 5 percent of the staff is volunteers performing service.

From Slate • Jul. 15, 2015

On a gray night, with smoke rising from the manholes, the environ looked film-noir-esque from the window view.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 5, 2015

Soon came the lawyers, accountants, bankers and others who had avoided the seedy environ.

From New York Times • Nov. 2, 2014

The mountains which environ Lake Tiberias were left behind, and the host joyfully emerged into the plain watered by the streams Abana and Pharpar.

From Secret Societies of the Middle Ages by Keightley, Thomas