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

The Restore 3 is a sleeper’s Swiss Army knife, with a variety of white noise and other ambient sounds, along with gentle lighting to ease you into—and out of—your bed.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The album has too much happening to function as ambient or environmental music—though loops are plentiful, there’s a consistent sense of development through these constructions, as elements are born, bloom and fade away.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

There’s no ambient cry of insects, no birdsong, and no rustle of leaves made by curious animals.

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His approach, involving coils filled with cold water, turned out to be a great way to lower ambient air temperatures, too.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The Navy said it has collected more than 200 ambient air monitoring samples from Parcel C since it began performing fieldwork there in 2023.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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