embassy

Meaning

Noun

• 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.
• A temporary mission representing a sovereign state.
• The official residence of such a group, or of an ambassador.

Origin

• Modern variant of obsolete ambassy, from Middle French ambassee ("mission, embassy"), from Old French ambascee (also enbassee) from Old Italian ambasciata, from Old Occitan ambaissada ("embassy"), derived from ambaissa, from Late Latin ambactia ("service rendered") (attested also as ambascia, from Proto-Germanic *ambahtiją ("service"), *ambahtaz, from Gaulish ambaxtos, from Proto-Celtic *ambaxtos ("servant"), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂m̥bʰi-h₂eǵ-; compare Latin ambactus, Old Irish amos, amsach, Welsh amaeth ("tenant farm")). ambassade.