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

American Patrick Long, one of 18 Porsche factory racing drivers worldwide, described Baron as “the exact type of ambassador the Porsche community needs.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

"Pakistan has strong credentials as the only country in the region enjoying good relations with the US and Iran," said the country's former ambassador to Tehran, Asif Durrani.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

In 1974, Time magazine called Lilias Folan “the Julia Child of yoga”—an irresisitably cheerful ambassador, bringing the pleasures of a foreign culture to mainstream America via public TV.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

The DJ became an ambassador for the charity in 2015 when his mother was diagnosed with the progressive neurological condition.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Dennis Rodman travels to North Korea as an unofficial ambassador on a mission of peace but is taken into custody the moment he disembarks from the plane.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson