The circumstances or conditions that surround one; surroundings.
The totality of circumstances surrounding an organism or group of organisms, especially:
The combination of external physical conditions that affect and influence the growth, development, and survival of organisms: “We shall never understand the natural environment until we see it as a living organism” (Paul Brooks)
The complex of social and cultural conditions affecting the nature of an individual or community.
Computer Science
The entire set of conditions under which one operates a computer, as it relates to the hardware, operating platform, or operating system.
An area of a computer's memory used by the operating system and some programs to store certain variables to which they need frequent access.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition