embassy
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/
Audio (US) (file)
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.
- The American embassy to France is located in Paris.
- A temporary mission representing a sovereign state.
- The Japanese embassy to the United States traveled to Washington, D.C., where it was received by James Buchanan, before continuing on to New York and then returning to Japan, making several stops on the way.
- 1599, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act I, scene i]:
- Then go we in to know his embassy;
Which I could with a ready guess declare
Before the Frenchman speak a word of it.
- The official residence of such a group, or of an ambassador.
- (archaic) A written account as to an embassy.
- 1690, “A Relation of the Late Great Revolution in Siam, and the Driving Out of the French”, in A Full and True Relation of the Great and Wonderful Revolution That Hapned Lately in the Kingdom of Siam in the East-Indies, London: Randal Taylor, page 1:
- By the various Relations, Embaſſies and Voyages of Siam that have been publiſht within theſe laſt Four Years […]
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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
organization representing a foreign state
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See also
- consulate
- High Commission