ambassador

American  

[am-bas-uh-der, -dawr] / æmˈbæs ə dər, -ˌdɔr /

Archaic, embassador

noun

1. a diplomatic official of the highest rank, sent by one sovereign or state to another as its resident representative ambassadorextraordinaryandplenipotentiary.

2. a diplomatic official of the highest rank sent by a government to represent it on a temporary mission, as for negotiating a treaty.

3. a diplomatic official serving as permanent head of a country's mission to the United Nations or some other international organization.

4. an authorized messenger or representative. Amb., amb.

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ambassador British  

/ æmˌbæsəˈdɔːrɪəl, æmˈbæsədə /

noun

1. short for ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary ; a diplomatic minister of the highest rank, accredited as permanent representative to another country or sovereign

2. a diplomatic minister of the highest rank sent on a special mission

3. a diplomatic minister of the first rank with treaty-signing powers

4. an ambassador with special duties who may be sent to more than one government

5. an authorized representative or messenger

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Usage

The gender-neutral form is ambassador

Other Word Forms

• ambassadorial adjective
• ambassadorially adverb
• ambassadorship noun
• ambassadress noun
• preambassadorial adjective

Etymology

Origin of ambassador

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English am-, embass(i)adour, imbassadore, from Anglo-French ambassateur, ambassaduer, from Italian ambassatore, dialectal Italian ambassadore, equivalent to ambass- stem of “to send a delegate” + -atore, -adore, from Latin -ātōrem accusative of -ātor noun-forming suffix; embassy, -ator

Example Sentences

US deputy ambassador Tammy Bruce said she welcomed the UN appeal for a ceasefire.

From Barron's

The UK government has not yet decided which documents related to Lord Mandelson's appointment as the UK's ambassador to the US are in scope for publication, a senior peer involved in the process has said.

From BBC

Lord Mandelson's lawyers have said police officers arrested the former ambassador to the US at his London home on Monday afternoon because they worried he was a flight risk.

From BBC

But a diplomatic source told AFP the ambassador cited "personal commitments" and sent a senior embassy official instead.

From Barron's

Meanwhile on Monday, ministers said a first batch of documents related to Lord Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador would be released in "early March".

From BBC