outdoors

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.

“Outdoors” is pronounced owt-DAWZ (/aʊtˈdɔː(ɹ)z/ in IPA).

Here is “outdoors” used in a sentence: “They decided to eat outdoors since the weather was so nice.”

Depending on how it is used, “outdoors” can be an adverb and a noun.

“Outdoors” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Outdoors” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: not inside a building; in the open air.

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.

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."

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."