MEANING
The social and cultural surroundings within which people live or events develop.
Use it for
Class context; cultural influences; communities shaping conductPlace characters within a social world as well as a geographical one.
Words that belong together
- social milieu
- artistic milieu
- urban milieu
On the page
The novel's artistic milieu explained why reputation mattered more than regular income.
She understood the town's streets long before she understood its social milieu.
Two families lived on the same road but inhabited very different milieux.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- milieu
Usage notes
Primary category: setting. More than physical location: includes relationships, customs, institutions, and expectations. Often formal or analytical; not interchangeable with landscape. Plurals: milieus and milieux.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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