ambient

[am-bee-uhnt]

adjective

1. of the surrounding area or environment: The temperature in the display case was 20° lower than the ambient temperature.

   Your voice mail picked up some ambient noise from airplanes and lawn mowers.

   The temperature in the display case was 20° lower than the ambient temperature.

2. completely surrounding; enveloping.

   Many pollutants are present in ambient air in relatively low concentrations.

3. creating a certain reaction or mood, often a subconscious one, by being wherever people tend to be.

   ambient advertising on a shopping cart.

4. pertaining to or noting sounds that create a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere.

   I stream ambient ocean sounds to help me fall asleep.

5. pertaining to or noting close and constant social contact and communication fostered by the internet or the use of digital devices.

   social media sites that enable ambient intimacy and awareness.

noun

1. ambient music.

ambient

/ ˈæmbɪənt /

adjective

1. of or relating to the immediate surroundings

   the ambient temperature was 15°C

2. creating a relaxing atmosphere

   ambient music

noun

1. informal,  ambient music

Other Word Forms

• unambient adjective
• unambiently adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of ambient¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin ambient- (stem of ambiēns, present participle of ambīre “to go around”), equivalent to amb- ambi- + -i- “go” + -ent- -ent

Word History and Origins

Origin of ambient¹

C16: from Latin ambiēns going round, from ambīre, from _ambi- + īre to go

Example Sentences

They specifically examined the ratio of near-surface temperature to ambient, non-glacier temperature right above each station and analyzed it over space and time.

Read more on Science Daily

Other times, as in “Idols,” Minus’ dissected blend of club pop and dark ambient sounds lends a grimy, industrial feel to her mechanical melodies.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Officials with the gas company said they have shored up the facility, including replacing the inner steel tubing on all operating wells and conducting continuous ambient methane monitoring.

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This leads to liquid at car temperature, which is hotter than ambient temperature, being pumped through the system.

Read more on BBC

He also created a tiny wind tunnel for some of the experiments, so that the physicists could analyze the role of ambient breeze in the worm's target success rate.

Read more on Science Daily

Related Words

• atmosphere 
• environment 
• feeling 
• mood 
• surroundings 
• trend