ambassador

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

English

Alternative forms

• ambassadour (obsolete)
• embassador (archaic)
• embassadour (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English ambassadore, from Anglo-Norman ambassadeur, from Old Italian ambassadore, from Old Occitan ambaisador (“ambassador”), derivative of ambaissa (“service, mission, errand”), from Medieval Latin ambasiator, from Gothic 𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌱𐌰𐌷𐍄𐌹 (andbahti, “service, function”), from Proto-Germanic *ambahtiją (“service, office”), derivative of Proto-Germanic *ambahtaz (“servant”), from Gaulish ambaxtos, from Proto-Celtic *ambaxtos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂m̥bʰi-h₂eǵ- (“drive around”), from *h₂m̥bʰi- (“around”) + *h₂eǵ- (“to drive”).

Displaced native Old English ǣrendraca.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /æmˈbæs.ə.də(ɹ)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /æmˈbæs.ə.dɚ/, /æmˈbæs.əˌdɔɹ/

Noun

ambassador (plural ambassadors)

1. A minister of the highest rank sent to a foreign court to represent there his sovereign or country. (Sometimes called ambassador-in-residence)
2. An official messenger and representative.
3. A corporate representative, often the public face of the company.

4. (sports) A player who is an excellent role-model and who upholds the integrity of the game and thereby contributes to the sport's popularity and growth.

Usage notes

• In English the preferred construction is (Nationality) ambassador to (Country) (the French ambassador to the United States) or ambassador of (Sending Country) to (Receiving Country) (the ambassador of France to the United States).

Derived terms

Related terms

• embassy

Translations

See also

• consul
• high commissioner