ambassador

English

/æmˈbæs.ə.də(ɹ)/, /æmˈbæs.ə.dɚ/

noun
Definitions
  • A minister of the highest rank sent to a foreign court to represent there his sovereign or country. (Sometimes called ambassador-in-residence)
  • An official messenger and representative.
  • A corporate representative, often the public face of the company.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English ambassadore derived from ambassadeur derived from ambassatore derived from Old Occitan ambaisador (ambassador) derived from Latin ambasiator derived from Gothic 𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌱𐌰𐌷𐍄𐌹 (service, function, office) derived from Proto-Germanic *ambahtiją (service, office, ministry), *ambahtaz (servant) derived from Gaulish ambaxtos (vassal, dependant, one who is sent around, high-ranking servant) derived from Proto-Celtic *ambaxtos (servant) derived from Proto-Indo-European *h₂mbʰi-h₂eǵ- (drive around).

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*h₂mbʰi-h₂eǵ-

Gloss

drive around

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms