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The Learning Kingdom's Cool Word of the Day for May 21, 1999
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ambiance / ambience [n. AM-bee-uns]
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Ambiance means environment or surroundings, the special mood or
atmosphere created by a particular place: "We enjoyed the rustic
ambiance of Dr. Franklin's cabin." The adjective form, ambient
[adj. AM-bee-unt], has the sense of surrounding or encircling: "The
sound of the roaring surf was an ambient presence, even indoors."
You may have heard of a modern art form called "ambient music," which
consists of textures of sound, often without a beat. It's intended to
be played at very low volumes, in order to become part of the
ambiance.
Both words came from the French ambiant, from Latin ambiens, present
participle of ambire (to surround). That's a compound of ambi-
(around) and ire (to go). Something that is ambient "goes all
around."
Here are more words about "going around":
amble: to stroll; to walk slowly
ambulate: to walk around
ambulacrum: area on the underside of a starfish where the tube feet
are extruded, allowing the animal to walk around
funambulist: one who walks on a tightrope or high wire
Ambient music is a thriving genre that continues to evolve:
http://www.hyperreal.org/music/epsilon/
http://members.aol.com/stargrdn/starsite/thesis.html
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