Circumambience

/ˌsɜːrkəmˈeɪmbiəns/ noun

Definition

The quality or state of surrounding or being around something; the atmosphere or environment that encircles.

Etymology

From Latin 'circum' (around) + 'ambience' (from French 'ambiance,' atmosphere). This Latinate noun formation describes the environmental quality of surrounding space.

Kelly Says

Though 'circumambience' is virtually unused today, it suggests a specific philosophical idea: the conscious perception of how space and atmosphere envelope you. We get closer to this feeling with the French word 'ambiance,' which won out in English.

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