ambassador

American  

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

Archaic, embassador

noun

• ambassadors
  plural

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  

/ 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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• ambassadors
  plural

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

See Examples For:

ambassador ambassadors

The South African government has called in the US ambassador to "explain his undiplomatic conduct" for the third time since he arrived nine months ago, a foreign ministry official said Wednesday.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

The ambassador said Washington "had run out of patience" with Pretoria because it had failed to respond adequately to certain of its demands.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

South Korea has summoned Ukraine's acting ambassador after President Volodymyr Zelensky last week announced his government had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to Seoul.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

Embassy official said the ambassador honeymooned in Greece and has spoken about her love for the country ever since she studied Greco-Roman history in college.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

I had heard that the Sierra Leonean ambassador let refugees sleep temporarily in the compound of the embassy, but I had no idea where the embassy itself was located.

From "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah

Smiling with her hair loose, the singer performed her 2002 hit before being joined by a star-studded cast of L'Oreal ambassadors including Viola Davis, Simone Ashley, Aja Naomi King and Eva Longoria.

From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026

Earlier this week, senior EU officials debriefed European ambassadors in the glass-paneled Brussels office tower popularly known as “the Space Egg.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

The King will continue to host a range of events at the palace, from state banquets and garden parties to receptions and audiences with the prime minister and new ambassadors.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

Russian ambassadors in Berlin, London, Paris, Brussels and other capitals have been summoned by their hosts for stern lectures.

From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2026

Uncle Al does not consider battered rotten tomatoes to be good ambassadors for the show, and I can’t say I blame him.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen