ambassador
[ am-bas-uh-der, -dawr ]
/ æmˈbæs ə dər, -ˌdɔr /
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noun
a diplomatic official of the highest rank, sent by one sovereign or state to another as its resident representative (ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary ).
a diplomatic official of the highest rank sent by a government to represent it on a temporary mission, as for negotiating a treaty.
a diplomatic official serving as permanent head of a country's mission to the United Nations or some other international organization.
an authorized messenger or representative. Abbreviation: Amb., amb.
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Also Archaic, em·bas·sa·dor [em-bas-uh-der] /ɛmˈbæs ə dər/ .
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
OTHER WORDS FROM ambassador
am·bas·sa·do·ri·al [am-bas-uh-dawr-ee-uhl, -dohr-], /æmˌbæs əˈdɔr i əl, -ˈdoʊr-/, adjectiveam·bas·sa·do·ri·al·ly, adverbam·bas·sa·dor·ship, nounpre·am·bas·sa·do·ri·al, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use ambassador in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for ambassador
ambassador
/ (æmˈbæsədə) /
noun
short for ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary; a diplomatic minister of the highest rank, accredited as permanent representative to another country or sovereign
ambassador extraordinary a diplomatic minister of the highest rank sent on a special mission
ambassador plenipotentiary a diplomatic minister of the first rank with treaty-signing powers
ambassador-at-large US an ambassador with special duties who may be sent to more than one government
an authorized representative or messenger
Derived forms of ambassador
ambassadress, fem nambassadorial (æmˌbæsəˈdɔːrɪəl), adjectiveambassadorship, nounWord Origin for ambassador
C14: from Old French ambassadeur, from Italian ambasciator, from Old Provençal ambaisador, from ambaisa (unattested) mission, errand; see embassy
usage for ambassador
The gender-neutral form is ambassador
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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