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circumambient

[sur-kuh m-am-bee-uh nt]
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adjective
  1. surrounding; encompassing: circumambient gloom.
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Origin of circumambient

First recorded in 1625–35, circumambient is from the Late Latin word circumambient- (stem of circumambiēns). See circum-, ambient
Related formscir·cum·am·bi·ence, cir·cum·am·bi·en·cy, nouncir·cum·am·bi·ent·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for circumambient

Historical Examples

  • The air was electric with the thrill of circumambient existence.

    A Summer Evening's Dream

    Edward Bellamy

  • He clutched feebly at the circumambient darkness for expedients.

  • The phrase 'a quarter of a million' glinted and flashed in the circumambient air.

    Mr. Prohack

    E. Arnold Bennett

  • Debussy gives the circumambient atmosphere, Ravel the inner form.

    Musical Portraits

    Paul Rosenfeld

  • So you could soar into the circumambient ether and leave all mundane things below?

British Dictionary definitions for circumambient

circumambient

adjective
  1. surrounding
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Derived Formscircumambience or circumambiency, noun

Word Origin

C17: from Late Latin circumambīre, from circum- + ambīre to go round
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for circumambient

adj.

1630s, from circum- + ambient.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper