am·bi·ence noun oram·bi·ance\äⁿbyäⁿs\ (pluralambi·encesorambi·ances \“\) Etymology: French ambiance, from ambiant surrounding (after such pairs as confiant confident: confiance confidence), from Latin ambient-, ambiens — more at ambient : a surrounding or pervading atmosphere : environment, milieu < moves out of provincial society and out of the ambience of exclusively female friendships — Lionel Trilling >