ambient

1 of 2

adjective

am·bi·ent ˈam-bē-ənt How to pronounce ambient (audio)

: existing or present on all sides : encompassing

the ambient air temperature

ambient light

ambient sound

: of or relating to ambient music (see ambient entry 2 sense 2)

ambient

2 of 2

noun

: an encompassing atmosphere : environment

: music intended to serve as an unobtrusive accompaniment to other activities (as in a public place) and characterized especially by quiet and repetitive instrumental melodies

Did you know?

Biologists explore the effects of ambient light on plants; acoustics experts try to control ambient sound; and meteorologists study ambient pressure, air, or temperature. All this can make ambient seem like a technical term, but when it first saw light of day, that all-encompassing adjective was as likely to be used in poetry as in science. John Milton used it in Paradise Lost, and Alexander Pope wrote of a mountain "whose tow'ring summit ambient clouds conceal'd." Both poets and scientists who use ambient owe a debt to the Latin verb ambire, meaning "to go around," the grandparent of our English word.

Example Sentences

Adjective Keep the chemicals at an ambient temperature of 70°F. the bright ambient light of the room People shopped as ambient music played in the background. Noun observing how the survival techniques of primates vary with the ambient

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

As well as offering high-quality speech, the Adapt 660 AMC has four more adaptive microphones that are used to monitor ambient sound to feed through to the ANC circuitry.

Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 20 May 2022 Cycling between the ambient sound and ANC modes doesn't have an adverse effect on audio quality, either.

Jeff Dunn, Ars Technica, 12 May 2022 With Anne’s rising despair, her surroundings grow blurry, the ambient sound increasingly unintelligible.

Bonnie Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2022 The ambient sound is a work by the Diné artist Raven Chacon, who recorded the humming background noise of a silent protest by women against the Dakota Access pipeline.

Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2022 Albini’s ability to capture natural, ambient sound helped Cobain stay connected with the band’s punk roots.

Spin Contributor, SPIN, 5 Apr. 2022 Noise-canceling earbuds block out exterior sounds, but some people prefer to hear ambient sound for safety reasons.

Terri Williams, SELF, 4 Apr. 2022 The life-size virtual mannequin generates an ambient sound (Stubblefield worked with Grammy Award-winning performers) and a light installation based on the artist’s photographs and films recorded from brainwave data.

Wendy Moonan, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Feb. 2022 The film’s ambient sound played a large role in pulling the viewer into the scene.

Holly Jones, Variety, 14 Feb. 2022

Noun

Each offers true adaptive noise canceling, smart ambient features, plus JBL’s big signature sound.

Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2022 Just before Scott came out, Lira said, the speakers blasted an ambient, humming noise, which stirred more panic inside her.

Washington Post, 11 Nov. 2021 The smart display uses its Soli radar technology, microphones and the ambient and temperature sensors to measure your quality of sleep.

Janhoi Mcgregor, Forbes, 4 May 2021 Electronic hearing protection is also designed to amplify low-level ambient sounds for better communication on the range.

The Editors, Field & Stream, 11 Nov. 2020 For example, if your children are home and there is ambient noise during a videoconference call, most everyone will understand these days and take it in stride.

Liz Bentley, Marie Claire, 16 Apr. 2020 Young kids need to be able to turn off the exterior ambient noise and just find calm, Ketchum said.

Phoebe Wall Howard, Detroit Free Press, 11 Apr. 2020 At Level C, a face mask connected to a filter strains hazardous particles out of the ambient air instead of totally replacing the supply with an SCBA or rebreather.

Rob Verger, Popular Science, 6 Apr. 2020 If the ambient air is cooler, the material will solidify, insulating the wearer on the inside but matching the surrounding temperature on the outside.

Courtney Linder, Popular Mechanics, 5 Mar. 2020 See More

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from Latin ambient-, ambiens, present participle of ambiō, ambīre "to visit in rotation, solicit (political support), seek to obtain, surround, encircle, embrace," from amb- "around, on both sides" + eō, īre "to go"; amb- going back to Indo-European *h₂m̥b^hi "around," whence also Germanic *umbi- (whence Old English ymbe "around, about," Old Frisian umbe, Old Saxon & Old High German umbi "around, about, concerning," Old Icelandic um, umb "around, about, beyond, over"), Gaulish ambi- "around (in names)," Old Irish imb, imm "around, about," Welsh & Breton am, Greek amphí "about, on both sides of," Armenian amb- (in ambołǰ "whole, intact"), Old Avestan aibī "for," Old Persian abiy "to, toward," Sanskrit abhí — more at issue entry 1

Note: The Latin prefix amb- is peculiar in that the expected linking vowel -i- never occurs; before consonants it syncopates, with consequent assimilation: -b- drops, and -m- becomes -n- before non-labial sounds (see amplexus, amputate, ancilla, anfractuous). Indo-European *h₂m̥b^hi may have developed from *h²n̥t-b^hi, a frozen instrumental plural form of the noun *h²ent- "front, face" (see ante-). The same noun figures in *h₂(e)nt-b^hoh₁ "both" (see ambi-).

Noun

derivative of ambient entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1572, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1892, in the meaning defined at sense 1

单词	ambient
释义	ambient 1 of 2 adjective am·bi·ent ˈam-bē-ənt 1 : existing or present on all sides : encompassing the ambient air temperature ambient light ambient sound 2 : of or relating to ambient music (see ambient entry 2 sense 2) ambient 2 of 2 noun 1 : an encompassing atmosphere : environment 2 : music intended to serve as an unobtrusive accompaniment to other activities (as in a public place) and characterized especially by quiet and repetitive instrumental melodies Did you know? Biologists explore the effects of ambient light on plants; acoustics experts try to control ambient sound; and meteorologists study ambient pressure, air, or temperature. All this can make ambient seem like a technical term, but when it first saw light of day, that all-encompassing adjective was as likely to be used in poetry as in science. John Milton used it in Paradise Lost, and Alexander Pope wrote of a mountain "whose tow'ring summit ambient clouds conceal'd." Both poets and scientists who use ambient owe a debt to the Latin verb ambire, meaning "to go around," the grandparent of our English word. Synonyms Noun atmosphere climate clime context contexture environment environs medium milieu mise-en-scène setting surround surroundings terrain See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Adjective Keep the chemicals at an ambient temperature of 70°F. the bright ambient light of the room People shopped as ambient music played in the background. Noun observing how the survival techniques of primates vary with the ambient Recent Examples on the Web Adjective As well as offering high-quality speech, the Adapt 660 AMC has four more adaptive microphones that are used to monitor ambient sound to feed through to the ANC circuitry. Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 20 May 2022 Cycling between the ambient sound and ANC modes doesn't have an adverse effect on audio quality, either. Jeff Dunn, Ars Technica, 12 May 2022 With Anne’s rising despair, her surroundings grow blurry, the ambient sound increasingly unintelligible. Bonnie Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2022 The ambient sound is a work by the Diné artist Raven Chacon, who recorded the humming background noise of a silent protest by women against the Dakota Access pipeline. Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2022 Albini’s ability to capture natural, ambient sound helped Cobain stay connected with the band’s punk roots. Spin Contributor, SPIN, 5 Apr. 2022 Noise-canceling earbuds block out exterior sounds, but some people prefer to hear ambient sound for safety reasons. Terri Williams, SELF, 4 Apr. 2022 The life-size virtual mannequin generates an ambient sound (Stubblefield worked with Grammy Award-winning performers) and a light installation based on the artist’s photographs and films recorded from brainwave data. Wendy Moonan, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Feb. 2022 The film’s ambient sound played a large role in pulling the viewer into the scene. Holly Jones, Variety, 14 Feb. 2022 Noun Each offers true adaptive noise canceling, smart ambient features, plus JBL’s big signature sound. Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2022 Just before Scott came out, Lira said, the speakers blasted an ambient, humming noise, which stirred more panic inside her. Washington Post, 11 Nov. 2021 The smart display uses its Soli radar technology, microphones and the ambient and temperature sensors to measure your quality of sleep. Janhoi Mcgregor, Forbes, 4 May 2021 Electronic hearing protection is also designed to amplify low-level ambient sounds for better communication on the range. The Editors, Field & Stream, 11 Nov. 2020 For example, if your children are home and there is ambient noise during a videoconference call, most everyone will understand these days and take it in stride. Liz Bentley, Marie Claire, 16 Apr. 2020 Young kids need to be able to turn off the exterior ambient noise and just find calm, Ketchum said. Phoebe Wall Howard, Detroit Free Press, 11 Apr. 2020 At Level C, a face mask connected to a filter strains hazardous particles out of the ambient air instead of totally replacing the supply with an SCBA or rebreather. Rob Verger, Popular Science, 6 Apr. 2020 If the ambient air is cooler, the material will solidify, insulating the wearer on the inside but matching the surrounding temperature on the outside. Courtney Linder, Popular Mechanics, 5 Mar. 2020 See More Word History Etymology Adjective borrowed from Latin ambient-, ambiens, present participle of ambiō, ambīre "to visit in rotation, solicit (political support), seek to obtain, surround, encircle, embrace," from amb- "around, on both sides" + eō, īre "to go"; amb- going back to Indo-European h₂m̥b^hi "around," whence also Germanic umbi- (whence Old English ymbe "around, about," Old Frisian umbe, Old Saxon & Old High German umbi "around, about, concerning," Old Icelandic um, umb "around, about, beyond, over"), Gaulish ambi- "around (in names)," Old Irish imb, imm "around, about," Welsh & Breton am, Greek amphí "about, on both sides of," Armenian amb- (in ambołǰ "whole, intact"), Old Avestan aibī "for," Old Persian abiy "to, toward," Sanskrit abhí — more at issue entry 1 Note: The Latin prefix amb- is peculiar in that the expected linking vowel -i- never occurs; before consonants it syncopates, with consequent assimilation: -b- drops, and -m- becomes -n- before non-labial sounds (see amplexus, amputate, ancilla, anfractuous). Indo-European h₂m̥b^hi may have developed from h²n̥t-b^hi, a frozen instrumental plural form of the noun h²ent- "front, face" (see ante-). The same noun figures in h₂(e)nt-b^hoh₁ "both" (see ambi-). Noun derivative of ambient entry 1 First Known Use Adjective 1572, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Noun 1892, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Medical Definition ambient adjective am·bi·ent ˈam-bē-ənt : surrounding on all sides the ambient environment ambient air pollution ambient 1 of 2 noun as in environment the circumstances, conditions, or objects by which one is surrounded observing how the survival techniques of primates vary with the ambient Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance environment atmosphere surroundings environs climate surround context setting space terrain milieu medium location backdrop background clime contexture element place mise-en-scène situation habitat position status geography microenvironment ambient 2 of 2 adjective as in peripheral Synonyms & Similar Words peripheral encompassing marginal tangential surrounding tangent embracing bounding encircling connected enclosing circumjacent interconnecting communicating connecting united nearby fencing approximate linked adjacent rimming immediate attached closest adjoining verging nearest juxtaposed near bordering touching contiguous neighboring abutting skirting joined nigh flanking fringing inclosing close conterminous joining next-door flush Antonyms & Near Antonyms discrete isolated separate single noncontiguous nonadjacent detached distant disconnected apart unconnected isolate remote unlinked unattached discontinuous far noncontinuous removed farthest faraway away free-standing divided dissociated far-off broken up resolved split ramified uncoupled severed divorced disjoined disunited parted sundered dissevered unyoked See More
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ambient

adjective

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Medical Definition

adjective

noun

adjective