ambassador English · revision 5815

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1374|origins=la ambactus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /æmˈbæs.ə.də/, US /æmˈbæs.ə.dɚ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English ambassadour, embassadour, [[bor|frm|ambassadeur]] (Old French embassator),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[m|it|ambasciatore]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) from Old Provençal ambaisador, from ambaisa(da) “office of an ambassador” (see [[embassy]]),^(Barnhart 1988) ultimately from [[la-med|ambactia|t=mission]], from a Germanic word (Gothic andbahti “service”, German Amt “office”),^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002) from [[la|ambactus|t=servant, vassal]], a Gaulish word,^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline) from PIE [[ine-pro|*ambhi-|t=around]] and [[ine-pro|*ag-|t=to drive]].^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A minister sent by one ruler or state on a mission to another: about 1374 in the OED, about 1385 in Barnhart, in Chaucer's ''Troilus and Criseyde''.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ An official messenger in general is from 1483,^(OED 1989) and a resident ambassador from 1603.^(OED 1989) The spellings in am- and em- were used side by side in the 17th and 18th centuries, embassador lasting longest in America; the a- form became fixed, unlike embassy.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) Until 1893 the United States had only ministers, since an ambassador represented a sovereign.^(Etymonline) ''Ambassadress'' is from the 16th century,^(Hoad 1986) and ''ambassador-at-large'' is American, from 1908.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1374 – an envoy of a ruler.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1483 – a messenger.^(OED 1989)

+ * 16th century – the spelling ambassador.^(Hoad 1986)

+ * 1603 – a resident ambassador.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1908 – ''ambassador-at-large''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[diplomat]] of the highest rank sent by a government to represent it in another country.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person who represents or [[promote|alt=promotes]] a group or activity: ''an ambassador for the sport''.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ambassadorial]]

+ * [[ambassadorship]]

+ * [[ambassadorially]]

+ * [[ambassador-at-large]]

+ * [[ambassadress]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[embassy]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}