ambient

[ am-bee-uh nt ]
/ ˈæm bi ənt /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR ambient ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of the surrounding area or environment: The tape recorder picked up too many ambient noises. The temperature in the display case was 20° lower than the ambient temperature.
completely surrounding; encompassing: the ambient air.
creating a certain reaction or mood, often a subconscious one, by being wherever people tend to be: ambient advertising on a shopping cart.
pertaining to or noting sounds that create a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere.
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

ambient music(def 1).

Origin of ambient

1590–1600; (< Middle French) < Latin ambient- (stem of ambiēns, present participle of ambīre “to go around”), equivalent to amb- ambi- + -i- go + -ent- -ent

OTHER WORDS FROM ambient

un·am·bi·ent, adjective un·am·bi·ent·ly, adverb

Words nearby ambient

ambidexter, ambidexterity, ambidextrous, ambien, ambience, ambient, ambient air standard, ambient music, ambient noise, ambiente, ambiguity

Words related to ambient

enveloping, climate, element, ambience, surroundings, atmosphere, mood, trend, environment, feeling, moving, rotating, circling, surrounding, habitat, milieu, conditions, medium, neighborhood, space

Example sentences from the Web for ambient

British Dictionary definitions for ambient

ambient
/ (ˈæmbɪənt) /

adjective

of or relating to the immediate surroundings the ambient temperature was 15°C
creating a relaxing atmosphere ambient music

noun

informal ambient music

Word Origin for ambient

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

Medical definitions for ambient

ambient
[ ăm′bē-ənt ]

adj.

Surrounding; encircling.