What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
ambulative
Example
The patient was ambulative after the surgery. [ambulative: adjective]
Example
The physical therapist recommended ambulative exercises to improve the patient's mobility. [ambulative: adjective]
Example
The disease caused a loss of ambulation in the patient. [ambulation: noun]
ambulatory
Example
The clinic offers ambulatory surgery for minor procedures. [ambulatory: adjective]
Example
The patient was ambulatory and able to leave the hospital. [ambulatory: adjective]
Example
The doctor ordered an ambulatory electrocardiogram to monitor the patient's heart activity during exercise. [ambulatory: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Ambulatory is more commonly used than ambulative in everyday language, especially in a medical context.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between ambulative and ambulatory?
Ambulatory has a more formal connotation than ambulative, which is more commonly used in medical jargon and may not be as familiar to non-medical speakers.
