am·bu·la·to·ry
ˈam-byə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē 
1
a
: able to walk about and not bedridden
ambulatory patients
b
: performed on or involving an ambulatory patient or an outpatient
ambulatory medical care
an ambulatory electrocardiogram
2
: of, relating to, or adapted to walking
ambulatory exercise
also
: occurring during a walk
an ambulatory conversation
3
: moving from place to place : itinerant
for years led an ambulatory life
4
law
: capable of being altered
a will is ambulatory until the testator's death
plural ambulatories
: a sheltered place (as in a cloister or church) for walking
Synonyms
Examples of ambulatory in a Sentence
Adjective
ambulatory theatrical companies that brought live theater to small towns across America
Recent Examples on the Web
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 16 May 2024
But until the full audience is ambulatory, nights such as Monday are cast to the ether of a six-month regular-season, one of 82.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ambulatory 
Adjective
The difficult stretch actually begins on Thanksgiving night in Green Bay and continues the next week at home against the Jets, who should be improved if Aaron Rodgers stays ambulatory.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 16 May 2024
But until the full audience is ambulatory, nights such as Monday are cast to the ether of a six-month regular-season, one of 82.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ambulatory
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ambulatory.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Ambulatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ambulatory. Accessed 31 May. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
ambulatory
adjective
am·bu·la·to·ry
ˈam-byə-lə-ˌtōr-ē, -ˌtȯr-
1
: of, relating to, or adapted to walking
ambulatory exercise
2
a
: able to walk about and not bedridden
an ambulatory patient
All patients were ambulatory before hip fracture.—Karim Anton Calis and Frank Pucino, The New England Journal of Medicine
Karim Anton Calis and Frank Pucino, The New England Journal of Medicine
b
: performed on or involving a patient who is able to walk about
Some patients report that ambulatory oxygen therapy helps relieve exercise-related breathlessness.—Dennis E. Niewoehner, The New England Journal of Medicine
Dennis E. Niewoehner, The New England Journal of Medicine
c
: performed on or provided to an outpatient
ambulatory care
Ambulatory surgical procedures have proliferated in recent years as a result of increases in the cost of inpatient health services.—Mark A. Warner et al., The Journal of the American Medical Association
Mark A. Warner et al., The Journal of the American Medical Association
also
: relating to or intended for outpatient care
ambulatory surgery centers
d
: performed on or worn by a patient during the course of normal daily activities (such as working and sleeping)
Rather than treat all patients on the basis of office blood pressure readings, some clinicians … maintain that certain patients should first be fitted with ambulatory blood pressure monitors that automatically record their blood pressure every 15 minutes or so throughout the day and night.—Jane E. Brody, The New York Times
Jane E. Brody, The New York Times
also
: obtained by ambulatory monitoring
24-hour ambulatory blood pressure
Legal Definition
ambulatory
adjective
am·bu·la·to·ry
ˈam-byə-lə-ˌtōr-ē
: capable of being altered
a will is ambulatory until the testator's death
Etymology
Adjective
Latin ambulatorius, literally, movable, transferable, from ambulare to walk, move, be transferred
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