ambient
Say it: AM-bee-unt /ˈæmbiənt/ · adjective
What “ambient” means
Coming from or relating to the surroundings.
More precisely: Relating to the immediate surroundings, such as background sound, light or temperature.
Example: “Soft ambient music helps me focus when the office gets noisy.”
When to use it
Use it in fairly technical descriptions of background light, sound or temperature, especially when discussing a room's conditions.
Similar words
surrounding, background, environmental
Where it comes from
From Latin ambire, "to go around."
Quick check
A photographer switches off her flash and uses only the light already filling the room. What kind of light is that?
spotlight or ambient?
Show the answer
ambient
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