1. the physical or social setting in which something occurs or develops; environment
Usage: formal

Examples

• The artist thrived in the creative milieu of Paris in the 1920s.
• She felt uncomfortable in the corporate milieu after years of academic work.
• The novel captures the social milieu of Victorian England perfectly.
• Growing up in a musical milieu, he naturally developed an ear for rhythm.
• The restaurant’s elegant milieu attracted wealthy clientele.
• Political activists found support in the liberal milieu of the university town.