noun
C2
Proficient
milieu
MEEL-yur
Milieu (noun) means the physical or social environment surrounding someone; their surroundings or setting. Example: “She felt out of place in the corporate milieu.”
noun
1
The physical or social environment surrounding someone; their surroundings or setting.
"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."
— Sami Zubaida, Cosmopolitanism and the Middle East (1999)
"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."
— Brendan Ryan, Preface (2013)
"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."
— Kathleen L. Mosier, Judgment and Prediction (2013)
"She felt out of place in the corporate milieu."
"The novel captures the milieu of 1920s Paris beautifully."
How to use milieu
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe environment or social world someone belongs to or is surrounded by.
When to use it
A fairly formal, literary word — "environment" or "surroundings" is more everyday.
Common pairings
social milieu
artistic milieu
in this milieu
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Word forms
- Plural
- milieux, milieus
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She felt out of place in the corporate _____.
Etymology
Borrowed directly from French milieu, "middle" or "surroundings," from Old French mi- ("middle") plus lieu ("place").
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for milieu
See all rhymes for milieu →Frequently asked questions
What does “milieu” mean?
The word “milieu” means the physical or social environment surrounding someone; their surroundings or setting. In plain terms, the environment or social world someone belongs to or is surrounded by.
How do you pronounce “milieu”?
“Milieu” is pronounced MEEL-yur (/mɪlˈju/ in IPA).
How do you use “milieu” in a sentence?
Here is “milieu” used in a sentence: “She felt out of place in the corporate milieu.”
What part of speech is “milieu”?
“Milieu” is a noun.
Where does the word “milieu” come from?
The word “milieu” comes from Old French. Borrowed directly from French milieu, "middle" or "surroundings," from Old French mi- ("middle") plus lieu ("place").
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