What does "ambient" mean?

1. (surrounding environment) describing the conditions that are already around you, like the air temperature or the light in a room. 2. (creating a mood) creating a calm or peaceful mood, especially through sound or light.

How do you use "ambient"?

Often used in technical or scientific contexts to describe 'room' conditions.

ambient

adj.

US //ˈæmbiənt// UK //ˈæmbiənt// am·bi·ent

1 surrounding environment (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Academic Science

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.

Example

The wine should be served at ambient temperature, which means the same as the room.

Example

The sensors were calibrated to ignore ambient noise, allowing the research team to isolate the specific acoustic signals of the marine mammals.

Usage

Often used in technical or scientific contexts to describe 'room' conditions.
2 creating a mood (adj.)
C1 Advanced Formal

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.

Example

The restaurant had soft, ambient lighting that made the dinner feel very relaxing.

Example

The designer used ambient textures and subtle lighting to transform the industrial warehouse into a sophisticated gallery space.
- atmospheric
- background

Origin

From Latin ambiēns (“going around”), from ambiō (“go around”).