n. The circumstances or conditions that surround one; surroundings.n. The totality of circumstances surrounding an organism or group of organisms, especially:n. 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 organismā ( Paul Brooks). n. The complex of social and cultural conditions affecting the nature of an individual or community.n. Computer Science The entire set of conditions under which one operates a computer, as it relates to the hardware, operating platform, or operating system.n. Computer Science 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.