ambient
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
describing the conditions that are already around you, like the air temperature or the light in a room.
relating to the immediate surroundings or environmental conditions, such as temperature, pressure, or light levels.
Simple“The wine should be served at ambient temperature, which means the same as the room.”
In context“The sensors were calibrated to ignore ambient noise, allowing the research team to isolate the specific acoustic signals of the marine mammals.”
UsageOften used in technical or scientific contexts to describe 'room' conditions.
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
creating a calm or peaceful mood, especially through sound or light.
evoking or creating a particular atmosphere or mood; often used to describe background elements that enhance a setting.
Simple“The restaurant had soft, ambient lighting that made the dinner feel very relaxing.”
In context“The designer used ambient textures and subtle lighting to transform the industrial warehouse into a sophisticated gallery space.”
Synonyms
“Anyone left slightly disappointed gets their fill at Four Tet’s headline slot, which crescendoes from ambient techno into body-rattling bass.”
“The accelerated particles travel outward and light up with ultra-high-energy gamma rays wherever they eventually slam into ambient gas, sometimes hundreds to thousands of light-years from their true source.”
From Latin ambiēns (“going around”), from ambiō (“go around”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.