ambulatory

[ am-byuh-luh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or capable of walking:

   an ambulatory exploration of the countryside.

2. adapted for walking, as the limbs of many animals.
3. moving about or from place to place; not stationary:

   an ambulatory tribe.

4. Also Medicine/Medical.
   1. not confined to bed; able or strong enough to walk:

      an ambulatory patient.

   2. serving patients who are able to walk:

      an ambulatory care center.

5. Law. not fixed; alterable or revocable:

   ambulatory will.

noun

, plural am·bu·la·to·ries.

1. Also called deambulatory. Architecture.
   1. an aisle surrounding the end of the choir or chancel of a church.
   2. the covered walk of a cloister.

ambulatory

/ ˈæmbjʊlətərɪ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or designed for walking
2. changing position; not fixed
3. Alsoambulant able to walk
4. law (esp of a will) capable of being altered or revoked

noun

1. architect
   1. an aisle running around the east end of a church, esp one that passes behind the sanctuary
   2. a place for walking, such as an aisle or a cloister

Other Words From

• ambu·la·tori·ly adverb
• non·ambu·la·tory adjective noun plural nonambulatories

Word History and Origins

Origin of ambulatory¹

1615–25; < Latin ambulātōrius, equivalent to ambulā-, stem of ambulāre ( amble ) + -tōrius -tory ¹( def )

Example Sentences

The majority of the school-aged students are nonverbal and not fully ambulatory.

From The Daily Beast

The firefighters did not want the ambulatory passengers to chance onto an electrified rail or encounter some other hazard.

From The Daily Beast

Already the clinic will incur extra cost to gain an ambulatory-surgery-facility license.

From The Daily Beast

Piscitelli found out just how bad it had been when he counted the number of ambulatory survivors who came back with the dawn.

From The Daily Beast

If it's dead, it's undead, like the culture at large: ambulatory in the age of Twilight.

From The Daily Beast

This was entered by two arches, which may still be seen leading out of the ambulatory.

From Project Gutenberg

Further to the east, as we shall find in due course, may be seen the low vaulted retro-choir or ambulatory of one bay.

From Project Gutenberg

The four embryonic post-ambulatory appendages are now at the height of their development.

From Project Gutenberg

The full number of joints are not at once reached, but in the ambulatory appendages five only appear at first to be formed.

From Project Gutenberg

All the ambulatory feet and the very small left hand fold beneath, leaving only the flat surface of one hand exposed to view.

From Project Gutenberg