noun
milieu
mil-YOO/mɪlˈjuː/
The environment in which a person lives or acts.
The shared studio's creative milieu surrounds the artist with discussion and related work.
Etymology
Literally “middle place,” milieu shifted from a middle or medium to the surroundings in which people live—the social or cultural environment around them.
In context
the circulation of european objects in isfahan's artistic milieu and even less about the artistic interactions between the persian and european artists
More examples
- The novel captures the social milieu of a small factory town.
- His political views reflect the conservative milieu in which he grew up.
- Students from different cultural milieus bring fresh perspectives to the discussion.
Forms
milieu · milieus · milieux
Similar words
- environment
- Broader term covering physical conditions as well as social influences.
- setting
- Emphasizes where something happens rather than the surrounding social influences.