The term "environ" is used with a dual sense in literature, both as an approximate measure of quantity or distance and as a descriptor of encirclement or surroundings. It often appears to indicate numerical estimates—authors refer to figures such as "environ 1100" [1] or "5,000 étudiants environ" [2]—to give a sense of scale without specifying exact amounts. At the same time, its more figurative use conjures images of being surrounded; for example, characters or objects might be depicted as encircled by both tangible and abstract dangers or forces, as seen in evocative lines where harm or divinity is said to "environ" a figure [3, 4]. This dual character, straddling the literal and metaphorical realms, has allowed "environ" to maintain a versatile presence in both narrative and descriptive passages throughout literary history.