The environment refers to all the surrounding conditions, objects, and influences that affect the growth, health, and functioning of living and non- living things. It includes the natural world such as the air, water, land, plants, animals, and ecosystems, as well as physical, chemical, and biological factors that interact and shape the Earth's systems. In more detail:

• The environment encompasses both living (biotic) elements like animals and plants, and non-living (abiotic) elements like air, water, sunlight, soil, and climate.
• It includes the physical surroundings in which organisms live and interact with each other and with non-living elements.
• The environment affects organisms’ survival, development, growth, and behavior.
• It is also used to describe artificial or human-made surroundings in some contexts.
• The natural environment is a system where living organisms and physical factors interact in a complex and interdependent manner.
• Environmental science studies these interactions and aims to address environmental challenges such as pollution, loss of biodiversity, and climate change.
• Sustainable development and environmental conservation work to protect and preserve the environment for current and future generations.

In summary, the environment is everything that surrounds us—living and non- living—that influences and supports life on Earth. It is the complex system of natural and physical elements where organisms and ecosystems exist and interact. This definition also stretches to human-made environments and various scientific perspectives on the relationships among organisms and their surroundings. This explanation is supported by several sources, including Merriam-Webster, Simple English Wikipedia, Biology Online Dictionary, and environmental science resources.