noun
ambience
AM-bee-uhnss
Ambience (noun) means the mood or atmosphere of a place, created by things such as lighting, sound, decor and the people in it. Example: “The candlelight gave the restaurant a warm ambience.”
noun
1
The mood or atmosphere of a place, created by things such as lighting, sound, decor and the people in it.
"The candlelight gave the restaurant a warm ambience."
"We loved the food, but the ambience was ruined by the strip lighting."
2
technical In sound recording, the background sound naturally present in a space, captured to give a recording a sense of place.
"The engineer added a little room ambience to the vocal track."
"They recorded thirty seconds of ambience before the interview."
How to use ambience
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe overall feel of a place.
When to use it
Neutral and common in reviews, hospitality and interior design writing.
Memory tip
The related adjective is 'ambient', as in ambient light or ambient music.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
warm ambience
relaxed ambience
create an ambience
ambience of the room
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The candlelight gave the restaurant a warm _____.
Etymology
From French ambiance, from ambiant 'surrounding', ultimately from Latin ambire 'to go around'.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for ambience
See all rhymes for ambience →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ambience and ambiance?
They are the same word with two spellings. 'Ambience' is the anglicised form and the more common spelling in general English, while 'ambiance' keeps the French form and is often chosen in writing about design, restaurants and art.
What is the difference between ambience and atmosphere?
They overlap almost completely when describing a place's feel. 'Atmosphere' is the broader word and can also describe the air around a planet or the emotional tension of an event, whereas 'ambience' is nearly always about the designed feel of a physical space.
Is ambience countable?
Usually not. You normally say 'the ambience' or 'a relaxed ambience' in the singular; 'ambiences' is rare and sounds awkward outside technical sound work.
What is the meaning of ambience?
"ambience" (noun) means the mood or atmosphere of a place, created by things such as lighting, sound, decor and the people in it.
