ambassador

[ am-bas-uh-der, -dawr ]
/ æmˈbæs ə dər, -ˌdɔr /

noun

a diplomatic official of the highest rank, sent by one sovereign or state to another as its resident representative (ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary).
a diplomatic official of the highest rank sent by a government to represent it on a temporary mission, as for negotiating a treaty.
a diplomatic official serving as permanent head of a country's mission to the United Nations or some other international organization.
an authorized messenger or representative. Abbreviation: Amb., amb.

Origin of ambassador

1325–75; Middle English am-, embass(i)adour, imbassadore < Anglo-French ambassateur, ambassaduer < Italian ambassatore, dialectal Italian ambassadore, equivalent to ambass- (see embassy) -atore, -adore < Latin -ātōrem accusative of -ātor -ator

OTHER WORDS FROM ambassador

am·bas·sa·do·ri·al [am-bas-uh-dawr-ee-uh l, -dohr-] /æmˌbæs əˈdɔr i əl, -ˈdoʊr-/, adjective am·bas·sa·do·ri·al·ly, adverb am·bas·sa·dor·ship, noun pre·am·bas·sa·do·ri·al, adjective

Definition for ambassadors (2 of 2)

Ambassadors, The

noun

a novel (1903) by Henry James.

Example sentences from the Web for ambassadors

British Dictionary definitions for ambassadors

ambassador
/ (æmˈbæsədə) /

noun

short for ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary; a diplomatic minister of the highest rank, accredited as permanent representative to another country or sovereign
ambassador extraordinary a diplomatic minister of the highest rank sent on a special mission
ambassador plenipotentiary a diplomatic minister of the first rank with treaty-signing powers
ambassador-at-large US an ambassador with special duties who may be sent to more than one government
an authorized representative or messenger

Derived forms of ambassador

ambassadress, fem n ambassadorial (æmˌbæsəˈdɔːrɪəl), adjective ambassadorship, noun

Word Origin for ambassador

C14: from Old French ambassadeur, from Italian ambasciator, from Old Provençal ambaisador, from ambaisa (unattested) mission, errand; see embassy

usage for ambassador

The gender-neutral form is ambassador