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
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
Netflix expressed confidence in its momentum in the current quarter, citing attention-getting shows including the final season of "Stranger Things" and "The Diplomat."
From Barron's • Oct. 21, 2025
Appeared in the October 6, 2025, print edition as 'Meet Albert Bourla—Pfizer CEO, Diplomat and Actor'.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 5, 2025
The historical Japanese drama scored the big win on Sunday night for best television drama, beating out powerhouse shows like "Squid Game," "Slow Horses" and "The Diplomat."
From Salon • Jan. 6, 2025
In between her busy filming schedule, she managed to squeeze in a stint as Diplomat Barbie in Greta Gerwig's 2023 blockbuster flick Barbie.
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2024
Mr. Patterson pointed to the brown Dodge Diplomat, gleaming in the driveway as if it had been recently waxed.
From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen
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.
