Ambulatory

of, relating to, or capable of walking:
an ambulatory exploration of the countryside.
adapted for walking, as the limbs of many animals.
moving about or from place to place; not stationary:
an ambulatory tribe.
also, ambulant. medicine/medical.

not confined to bed; able or strong enough to walk:
an ambulatory patient.
serving patients who are able to walk:
an ambulatory care center.

law. not fixed; alterable or revocable:
ambulatory will.
also called deambulatory. architecture.

an aisle surrounding the end of the choir or chancel of a church.
the covered walk of a cloister.

contemporary examples

piscitelli found out just how bad it had been when he counted the number of ambulatory survivors who came back with the dawn.
on memorial day, remembering 15-year-old marine pfc dan bullock michael daly may 27, 2012

if it’s dead, it’s undead, like the culture at large: ambulatory in the age of twilight.
must-read books by will hermes, lydia millet, and stuart nadler nicholas mancusi, drew toal, john reed november 27, 2011

the firefighters did not want the ambulatory p-ssengers to chance onto an electrified rail or encounter some other hazard.
amazing grace in the bronx: inside the metro-north train-wreck rescue michael daly december 1, 2013

historical examples

dictator nariño had broken completely with the ambulatory congress, and was sending his troops into the adjacent provinces.
the south american republics, part ii (of 2) thomas c. dawson

he had met her by chance in the ambulatory on her way from brother bonaday’s rooms.
brother copas sir arthur thomas quiller-couch

over the choir, consisting of one large bay, are intersecting ribs that appear to be posterior to those of the ambulatory.
how france built her cathedrals elizabeth boyle o’reilly

the poet is greater than man: he is nature on two legs,—ambulatory.
how spring came in new england charles dudley warner

it is much broader; broader indeed than the ambulatory which leads to it, and is covered by barrel vaults.
byzantine churches in constantinople alexander van millingen

there is a central apse, an ambulatory, out of which radiate five chapels.
the cathedrals of great britain p. h. ditchfield

this arrangement enables us to enjoy the glazing of the ambulatory and the choir chapels from all parts of the building.
stained gl-ss tours in france charles h-tchc-ck sherrill

adjective
of, relating to, or designed for walking
changing position; not fixed
also ambulant. able to walk
(law) (esp of a will) capable of being altered or revoked
noun (pl) -ries
(architect)

an aisle running around the east end of a church, esp one that p-sses behind the sanctuary
a place for walking, such as an aisle or a cloister

adj.

“pertaining to walking;” also “shifting, not permanent,” 1620s, from latin ambulatorius “of or pertaining to a walker; movable,” from ambulator, agent noun from past participle stem of ambulare “to walk” (see amble). middle english had ambulary “movable” (mid-15c.).
n.

from medieval latin ambulatorium, from latin ambulatorius “movable,” from ambulare (see amble).

ambulatory am·bu·la·to·ry (ām’byə-lə-tôr’ē)
adj.

of, relating to, or adapted for walking.

capable of walking; not bedridden.

moving about.