of the surrounding area or environment: The tape recorder picked up too many ambient noises. The temperature in the display case was 20° lower than the ambient temperature.
2.
completely surrounding; encompassing: the ambient air.
Origin: 1590–1600; (< MF) < L ambient- (s. of ambiēns, prp. of ambīre to go around), equiv. to amb-ambi-+ -i- go + -ent--ent