1. Going or extending round; surrounding, encompassing, environing.
1641. Wilkins, Math. Magick, II. v. (1648), 186. The circumambient coldnesse towards the sides of the Vessel.
1669. Phil. Trans., IV. 1087. An Universal Tendency of Circum-ambient Bodies to the Center.
1831. Carlyle, Sart. Res. (1858), 3. In the immeasurable circumambient realm of Nothingness and Night.
1861. Beresf. Hope, Eng. Cathedr. 19th C., iii. 92. The circumambient aisle encircling the apse.
b. esp. Said of the air or other circumfused fluid, or medium.
1633. T. Adams, Exp. 2 Peter ii. 14. The air; which is an element movable and circumambient.
1679. Plot, Staffordsh. (1686), 236. The air most immediatly circumambient of the terraqueous globe.
1713. Derham, Phys. Theol., II. i. 40. The pressure of the Circumambient Air.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1852), I. 345. A circumambient ether, agitated by their vibrations.
1855. M. Arnold, Mycerinus, 53. The Circumambient gloom.
c. fig.
1830. I. Taylor, Logic in Theol. (1859), 104. The circumambient scorn of his fellows.
1866. G. Macdonald, Ann. Q. Neighb., xii. (1878), 237. The opening of any number of intellectual windows towards the circumambient truth.
2. absol. or as sb.
1682. Norris, Hierocles, 124. In an Orb the Centre is one way the beginning, and another way the end of the Circumambient.
1849. Miss Mulock, Ogilvies, xxvi. The whole circumambient seemed to have grown suddenly yellow.
