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.
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
Words nearby embassy
Example sentences from the Web for embassy
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