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 amus, amsach (“mercenary, servant”), Welsh amaeth (“tenant farm”)). Doublet of ambassade.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈɛmbəsi/
Noun
embassy (plural embassies)
- The function or duty of an ambassador.
- 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.
- A temporary mission representing a sovereign state.
- The official residence of such a group, or of an ambassador.
- (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