ambassador

Archaic, em·bas·sa·dor

[am-bas-uh-der, -dawr]

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.

ambassador

/ 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

Usage

The gender-neutral form is ambassador

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of ambassador¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of ambassador¹

C14: from Old French ambassadeur, from Italian ambasciator, from Old Provençal ambaisador, from ambaisa (unattested) mission, errand; see _embassy

Example Sentences

I imagine there will be some reference to Swinney's international engagement, not least because the newly recognised Palestinian ambassador to the UK is due to address conference.

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The document has now been released by the National Archives under a Freedom of Information request, following the sacking of Lord Mandelson as US ambassador after fresh revelations about his friendship with the disgraced financier.

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“Security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic is a common interest for the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States,” said Denmark’s ambassador to the U.S.

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She is the brand’s ambassador for the rest of the year.

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An internal party investigation found that Qin had engaged in an extramarital affair that lasted through his tenure as Beijing’s ambassador to Washington, the Journal reported.

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