outdoors
owt-DAWZ
Outdoors (adv) means not inside a building; in the open air. Example: “They decided to eat outdoors since the weather was so nice.”
adv
1
Not inside a building; in the open air.
"They went outdoors to light up their cigarettes."
"They decided to eat outdoors since the weather was so nice."
"The cat prefers to sleep outdoors when the nights are warm."
"Is it safe for the baby to play outdoors in this wind?"
noun
1
Nature and open spaces away from buildings and cities, often used with "the."
"He loves spending time in the great outdoors."
"She loves the outdoors, for its freedom and fresh air."
"Spending a weekend in the outdoors always clears my head."
"The shop sells everything you need for walking and camping in the outdoors."
How to use outdoors
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOutside, in the open air — or nature itself as a place to be.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
the great outdoors
spend time outdoors
sleep outdoors
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They decided to eat _____ since the weather was so nice.
Etymology
From "out" plus "doors," likely a shortened form of the older phrase "out of doors."
Related words
Rhymes for outdoors
See all rhymes for outdoors →Frequently asked questions
What does “outdoors” mean?
The word “outdoors” means not inside a building; in the open air. In plain terms, outside, in the open air — or nature itself as a place to be.
How do you pronounce “outdoors”?
“Outdoors” is pronounced owt-DAWZ (/aʊtˈdɔː(ɹ)z/ in IPA).
How do you use “outdoors” in a sentence?
Here is “outdoors” used in a sentence: “They decided to eat outdoors since the weather was so nice.”
What part of speech is “outdoors”?
Depending on how it is used, “outdoors” can be an adverb and a noun.
Is “outdoors” a common word?
“Outdoors” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “outdoors” have?
“Outdoors” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: not inside a building; in the open air.
What is the difference between outdoors and outside?
Outdoors and outside both describe being away from the interior of a building, but outdoors carries a stronger connotation of open, natural spaces, while outside is more neutral and can simply mean not inside a particular structure. "The outdoors" as a noun specifically refers to nature and open spaces away from buildings and cities.
Is outdoors a noun or an adverb?
Outdoors can be both: as an adverb it means not inside a building, in the open air, as in "the children played outdoors." As a noun, usually preceded by "the," it refers to nature and open spaces away from buildings and cities, as in "a love of the outdoors."
Why is outdoors often used with the word the?
Outdoors is often paired with "the" when used as a noun referring to nature and open spaces collectively, as in "exploring the outdoors." Without "the," it typically functions as an adverb describing location, as in "we ate outdoors."
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