# outdoors

Pronunciation: US say "owt-DAWRZ" /aʊtˈdɔɹz/; UK say "owt-DAWZ" /aʊtˈdɔːz/

## Adverb

1. In the open air, not inside a house or under any covered structure.
   - Simple: In the open air, not inside a building.
   - _The ceremony was held outdoors despite the threat of rain._
   - _Some hardy cattle breeds can sleep outdoors all winter without harm._

## Noun

2. The environment that lies outside of enclosed structures, in the open air.
   - Simple: The space outside buildings, where there is no roof over you.
   - _Floor-to-ceiling windows blur the line between the living room and the outdoors._
   - _Workers who spend their shifts in the outdoors face greater sun exposure._
3. Open-air nature, meaning the countryside and wild places away from cities and buildings.
   - Simple: Wild or natural places far from cities and buildings, like forests and mountains.
   - _He spent his retirement exploring the outdoors, from desert trails to alpine lakes._
   - _Outfitters in the small mountain town cater to visitors drawn to the outdoors._

## Verb

4. Third-person singular simple present indicative of outdoor. — third-person singular simple present indicative of outdoor
   - Simple: The form of outdoor used in the present with he, she, it, or a singular noun such as the dog or water.

## Origin

**Meanings 1–3** — This comes from "out" plus "doors" (the plural of "door"), probably as a shortening of "out of doors." Alternatively, it may be from the adjective "outdoor" plus the adverbial suffix "-s."
**Meaning 4** — This comes from the verb "outdoor" plus the third-person singular suffix "-s."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/outdoors (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).