Ambulatory

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈam.bjə.ləˌtoɹ.i/

Definitions

1. Pertaining to the ability to walk or move around freely, this term is frequently associated with a medical context that allows patients some level of mobility, particularly during treatment
2. The concept includes the ability to walk or be mobile, often referring to healthcare practices involving patients who are not bedridden and can participate in their own movement
3. Connected to the ability or act of walking and moving freely ; intended for walking rather than being stationary ; a corridor or aisle allowing passage by foot

Etymology: Latin "ambulare" meant "to walk" or "to go about," and "ambulatorius" was the adjective built from it, meaning "relating to walking" or "fit for walking." English took the word in that sense: an ambulatory patient is one who can walk about rather than remaining confined to bed. The Latin verb itself combines "ambi-," meaning "around" or "about," with a root for going, so the core idea is moving around from place to place. The English adjective can also be traced back through two routes. Surface analysis suggests it may be formed from "ambulate" plus the suffix "-ory," or from "ambulator" plus "-y," but the Latin adjective it descends from is the more direct source. Either way, the word's meaning stayed close to its physical origin: movement on foot, rather than an abstract sense developing over time.

Synonyms: mobile, migratory

Antonyms: immobile, stationary