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I see no difference between "environment" and "milieu" in the following example:

  • It is a study of the social and cultural milieu in which Michelangelo lived and worked. [Source]

I think, we can interchange the two words here in this example.

As Cambridge says, "milieu" is:

The people, physical, and social conditions and events that provide the environment in which someone acts or lives.

This is my exact definition of "environment".

Are they interchangeable in this sense? Should I consider any point here?

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The distinction made in the answer by Old Brixtonian is a quite subtle one. I do not thinmk that one could rely on most fluent speakers making the same exact distinction.

As a piratical matter, these words are in the specified context at least close to interchangeable. I would not rely on this difference in wording to convey a difference in meaning which was important to me.

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  • What do you think of Javalatte's provided distinction @David Siegel? "Milieu describes the surroundings of people, whereas environment describes the surroundings of anything, including people."
    – A-friend
    Aug 10, 2022 at 6:21
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    @A-friend That is an interesting idea. I do not think most fuent speakers reliably make that distinction.
    – David Siegel
    Aug 10, 2022 at 13:07
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They're not quite interchangeable. Maybe your exact definitions are different from the dictionary's!

environment: The surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates.

milieu: A person's social environment.

As JavaLatte points out, "Milieu describes the surroundings of people, whereas environment describes the surroundings of anything, including people."

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  • But I have come across both "social environment" and "social milieu" or "cultural / academic environment" or "cultural / academic milieu". Then I was wondering what is the difference between these terms?
    – A-friend
    Jun 3, 2020 at 14:15
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    "Social environment" means milieu. "Social milieu" is tautology, but perhaps it attempts to exclude from one's milieu anyone who isn't an actual friend. "Cultural / academic environment" means the architecture, art galleries, theatres, opera houses, concert halls, museums, libraries, pop venues, folk clubs, jazz clubs etc, etc.; the colleges, academies, universities etc. etc.; and the people working in, teaching in, studying at, visiting, attending etc. etc. the places I've mentioned; and the places where those people live, meet etc. Etc!
    – Old Brixtonian
    Jun 3, 2020 at 16:25
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    And "Cultural / academic milieu" means the PEOPLE mentioned in the last two lines of my previous comment! As I said, "Milieu describes the people, not the surroundings."
    – Old Brixtonian
    Jun 3, 2020 at 16:26
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    @OldBrixtonian "Milieu describes the people, not the surroundings"... this is perhaps misleading. Milieu describes the surroundings of people, whereas environment describes the surroundings of anything, including people.
    – JavaLatte
    Jul 21, 2022 at 23:38
  • @JavaLatte: Yes! Quite right. And well put. I lost the plot for a tick! I've incorporated it. Thank you.
    – Old Brixtonian
    Jul 22, 2022 at 20:20

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