From Latin ambiēns, from ambiō ("go around").

• (British, America) IPA: /ˈæm.bi.ənt/

ambient

1. Encompassing on all sides; surrounding; encircling; enveloping.

   A cup of warm tea eventually cools to the ambient temperature.

   • 1667, John Milton, “(please specify the page number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC ↗:

     This which yields or fills all space / The ambient air wide interfused

   • 1715, [Alexander] Pope, The Temple of Fame: A Vision, London: […] Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC ↗, page 9 ↗:

     Then gazing up, a glorious Pile beheld, / VVhoſe tovv'ring Summit ambient Clouds conceal'd.

2. (music) Evoking or creating an atmosphere: atmospheric.
3. Relating to, or suitable for, storage at room temperature.

   ambient food

   ambient warehousing

4. (mathematics) Containing objects or describing a setting that one is interested in.

• Portuguese: ambiente
• Russian: окружа́ющий

• Italian: ambientale
• Portuguese: ambiente

ambient

1. Something that surrounds; encompassing material, substance or shape.
   • 1665, Robert Hooke, Micrographia:

     Much after this same manner, when the Air is exceeding cold through which it passes; do we find the drops of Rain, falling from the Clouds, congealed into round Hail-stones by the freezing Ambient.

2. (astrology) The atmosphere; the surrounding air or sky; atmospheric components collectively such as air, clouds, water vapour, hail, etc.
   • 1662 Thomas Salusbury, Galileo's Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems (Dialogue 2):

     It might be also, that attracted by that great void Vacuum ... all the ambients would be rarified, and particularly, the air.

3. (uncountable, music) A type of modern music that creates a relaxing and peaceful atmosphere.

• (music) ambient music, chillout

• Portuguese: ambiente
• Russian: окружа́ющая среда́

• Italian: ambient
• Portuguese: ambient
• Russian: эмбие́нт