attaché
[ a-ta-shey, at-uh- or, esp. British, uh-tash-ey ]
/ æ tæˈʃeɪ, ˌæt ə- or, esp. British, əˈtæʃ eɪ /
noun
a diplomatic official attached to an embassy or legation, especially in a technical capacity: a commercial attaché; a cultural attaché.
a military officer who is assigned to a diplomatic post in a foreign country in order to gather military information: an air attaché; an army attaché; a naval attaché.
Also at·ta·che. attaché case.
Nearby words
Origin of attaché
Can be confusedattach attaché
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for attache
British Dictionary definitions for attache
attaché
/ (əˈtæʃeɪ, French ataʃe) /
noun
a specialist attached to a diplomatic missionmilitary attaché
British a junior member of the staff of an embassy or legation
Word Origin for attaché
C19: from French: someone attached (to a mission), from attacher to attach
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for attache
attache
1835, from French attaché "junior officer attached to the staff of an ambassador, etc.," literally "attached," past participle of attacher "to attach" (see attach). Attache case "small leather case for carrying papers" first recorded 1900.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Culture definitions for attache
attaché
[ (a-ta-shay, at-uh-shay) ]
A diplomatic officer attached to an embassy or consulate. Most attachés have specialties, such as military attachés, cultural attachés, economic attachés, and so forth.
Note
Some nations disguise spies as attachés.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.