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; see embassy, -ator

Explanation

An ambassador is an official representative for his or her country, stationed in another nation, like Benjamin Franklin, who was an ambassador to France. Ambassador usually describes the official diplomatic envoy who represents one country to another. These ambassadors work to promote understanding, perhaps by settling differences or clearing up misunderstanding. Used less formally, an ambassador can be anyone who represents something, like a pop singer who is a "brand ambassador" for a cosmetics company.

Example Sentences

John Sullivan, who served as U.S. ambassador to Moscow when the invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, wasn’t so sure.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

An initial 10-day pause in hostilities had been announced on 16 April following ambassador talks in Washington between Israel and Lebanon.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

The original idea came from Sir William Hamilton, British ambassador to Naples and Sicily from 1765 to 1800, who was also deeply interested in volcanology.

From Science Daily • May 2, 2026

In 2010, President Obama appointed her as the U.S. ambassador to Hungary.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

Several months earlier, Kennedy had given the green light to the top secret Cable 24.3, sent by the US State Department to the American ambassador stationed in Saigon, South Vietnam.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge