Microenvironment carries different meanings depending on the context.
- Medical: a small or relatively small usually distinctly specialized and effectively isolated habitat or environment (as of a nerve cell)
- Science: The environment of a very small, specific area, distinguished from its immediate surroundings by such factors as the amount of incident light, the degree of moisture, and the range of temperatures. The side of a tree that is shaded from sunlight is a microenvironment that typically supports a somewhat different community of organisms than is found on the side that receives regular light. Also called microhabitat.
- Business: Factors or elements in an organization's immediate area of operations that affect its performance and decision making freedom. These factors include competitors, customers, distribution channels, suppliers, and the general public.