embassy

English Online Dictionary. What means embassy‎? What does embassy mean?

English

Alternative forms

• ambassy (obsolete)

Etymology

Modern variant of obsolete ambassy, from Middle French ambassee (“mission, embassy”), from Old French ambascee (also enbassee (“message for a high official, official mission”)) from Old Italian ambasciata, from Old Occitan ambaissada (“embassy”), derived from ambaissa (“message”), from Late Latin ambactia (“service rendered”) (attested also as ambascia, from Proto-Germanic *ambahtiją (“service”), *ambahtaz (“follower, servant”), from Gaulish ambaxtos (“dependant, vassal”, literally “one who is sent around”), from Proto-Celtic *ambaxtos (“servant”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂m̥bʰi-h₂eǵ- (“drive around”); compare Latin ambactus, Old Irish amos, amsach (“mercenary, servant”), Welsh amaeth (“tenant farm”)). Doublet of ambassade.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛmbəsi/

Noun

embassy (plural embassies)

1. The function or duty of an ambassador.
2. An organization or group of officials who permanently represent a sovereign state in a second sovereign state or with respect to an international organization such as the United Nations.

3. A temporary mission representing a sovereign state.
4. The official residence of such a group, or of an ambassador.
5. (archaic) A written account as to an embassy.

Usage notes

Today the term embassy generally refers to a permanent organization, housed in a permanent building or offices, maintaining ties between nations. In the past, this was more often a temporary mission (as in Japanese Embassy to the United States (1860)) – the delegation would return home following meetings with foreign officials – and this is reflected in some traditional usages and related diplomatic terms, such as Head of Mission.

Derived terms

• emb.
• tent embassy

Related terms

• ambassador

Translations

See also

• consulate
• High Commission