embassy
[ em-buh-see ]
/ ˈɛm bə si /
noun, plural em·bas·sies.
a body of persons entrusted with a mission to a sovereign or government, especially an ambassador and his or her staff.
the official headquarters of an ambassador.
the function or office of an ambassador.
a mission headed by an ambassador.
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Origin of embassy
1570–80; variant of ambassy < Middle French ambassee, Old French ambasce, ambaxee ≪ Old Provençal ambaissada, derivative of embayssar to send a delegate < Medieval Latin ambasciāre, derivative of ambascia service, office, derivative, by a Gmc intermediary (compare Gothic andbahti, Old High German ambahti) of Gallo-Latin ambactus retainer, servant (< Gaulish, equivalent to amb- around, ambi- + -act- verbal adjective of *ag- drive, lead; cf. act, Welsh amaeth husbandman); cf. ambassador
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
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British Dictionary definitions for embassy
embassy
/ (ˈɛmbəsɪ) /
noun plural -sies
the residence or place of official business of an ambassador
an ambassador and his entourage collectively
the position, business, or mission of an ambassador
any important or official mission, duty, etc, esp one undertaken by an agent
Word Origin for embassy
C16: from Old French ambassee, from Old Italian ambasciata, from Old Provençal ambaisada, ultimately of Germanic origin; see ambassador
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