embassy

American  

[em-buh-see] / ˈɛm bə si /

noun

• embassies
  plural

1. a body of people entrusted with a mission to a sovereign or government, especially an ambassador and their staff.

2. the official headquarters of an ambassador.

3. the function or office of an ambassador.

4. a mission headed by an ambassador.

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embassy British  

/ ˈɛmbəsɪ /

noun

1. the residence or place of official business of an ambassador

2. an ambassador and his entourage collectively

3. the position, business, or mission of an ambassador

4. any important or official mission, duty, etc, esp one undertaken by an agent

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• embassies
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of embassy

First recorded in 1570–80; variant of ambassy, from Middle French ambassee, Old French ambasce, ambaxee, ultimately from Old Provençal ambaissada, derivative of embayssar “to send a delegate,” from Medieval Latin ambasciāre, derivative of ambascia “service, office,” derivative, by a Germanic intermediary (compare Gothic andbahti, Old High German ambahti ) of Gallo-Latin ambactus “retainer, servant” (from Gaulish, equivalent to amb- “around, both” + -act- verbal adjective of unattested ag- “drive, lead”; compare Welsh amaeth “husbandman”); see origin at ambi-, amphi- ( def. ), act, ambassador

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Explanation

An ambassador, a diplomat who represents her own country in a foreign country, lives and works in an embassy. Travelers sometimes visit their home country's embassy for help with their travel documents or other issues. If you've ever visited Washington, DC, you may have seen the French embassy or the Indian embassy. These buildings often resemble homes, which makes sense because ambassadors usually live in them. The word embassy first meant "job or position of the ambassador," and comes from the Old French ambasse, with its Latin root of ambactus, or "servant."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

embassy embassies

A representative of Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Washington, D.C., declined to comment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

Gethings was then told he was one of 16 UK students being invited for an interview at the embassy.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

The row was sharpened by an earlier US suspension of drug funding after the embassy alleged theft of donated medicines, which the government disputed.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

Earlier this month, Ethiopia expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats and shut its embassy in Asmara, while Eritrea responded that it would "sever all diplomatic ties".

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

That evening, the CIA's station chief in Moscow opened the door to his office, which was hidden deep inside the US embassy on Novinskiy Boulevard.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

Other options include new sanctions, expelling Russian diplomats or closing more of its embassies and consulates in Europe, and intercepting and boarding more vessels of Russia’s shadow fleet, officials said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

In Riyadh, home to a large number of non-Saudis, diplomats were instructed to shelter in place in their respective embassies, diplomats told AFP.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

D.C. law banned the security officers who protected the courthouses and agencies and embassies from carrying their weapons home from work.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

They point to the growing number of countries which have conferred de facto recognition by clinching deals, accrediting diplomats, operating embassies, and more.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

His son, Lenin, had moved to Delhi, where he worked as a services contractor for foreign embassies.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

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Related Words

• commission
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