diplomat
Americannoun
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a person appointed by a national government to conduct official negotiations and maintain political, economic, and social relations with another country or countries.
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a person who is tactful and skillful in managing delicate situations, handling people, etc.
noun
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an official, such as an ambassador or first secretary, engaged in diplomacy
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a person who deals with people tactfully or skilfully
Etymology
Origin of diplomat
First recorded in 1805–15; from French diplomate, back formation from diplomatique diplomatic
Explanation
A diplomat is a person who helps people who have differing points of view find common ground. In government, a diplomat is an official who represents his or her country in other nations. The noun diplomat is related to the word diploma, from the Greek diploun, meaning “to fold double.” A diploma is an official paper — something diplomats carry on behalf of their governments. They know about all sides of an issue, which is helpful in times of conflict. You are a diplomat, if caught between Yankees and Red Sox fans, you get them to talk about hockey instead.
Vocabulary lists containing diplomat
English Words Derived from French, List 1
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Government
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"Why Exploring the Ocean Is Mankind's Next Giant Leap," Vocabulary from the commentary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas called on both sides to "sit down to a negotiation table and agree", adding that "the region does not need an escalation."
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi, in an intervew with CNN published Sunday, described negotiating with Washington as "very cumbersome".
From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026
As one actual diplomat put it after watching Season 1, “This was helpful. Now my parents understand what I do.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026
“The U.S. is the epitome of the trend, but it’s not unique to the U.S.,” said Thibault Camelli, a former French diplomat now at New York University and an authority on U.N. budgeting.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026
This sentence is encumbered, among other things, by a long stretch between the filler of the relative clause, the former United Nations diplomat, and the gap after tapped seven words later.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
