[am-bas-uh-der, -dawr] Pronunciation Key | 1. | a diplomatic official of the highest rank, sent by one sovereign or state to another as its resident representative (ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary). |
| 2. | a diplomatic official of the highest rank sent by a government to represent it on a temporary mission, as for negotiating a treaty. |
| 3. | a diplomatic official serving as permanent head of a country's mission to the United Nations or some other international organization. |
| 4. | an authorized messenger or representative. Abbreviation: Amb., amb. |
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
| am·bas·sa·dor
(ām-bās'ə-dər, -dôr') Pronunciation Key
n.
[Middle English ambassadour, from Old French ambassadeur, from Medieval Latin ambactia, mission, from Latin ambactus, servant, ultimately of Celtic origin; see ag- in Indo-European roots.] am·bas'sa·do'ri·al (-dôr'ē-əl, -dōr'-) adj., am·bas'sa·dor·ship' n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
ambassador
| ambassador | |
noun | |
| 1. | a diplomat of the highest rank; accredited as representative from one country to another |
| 2. | an informal representative; "an ambassador of good will" |
Ambassador
Am*bas"sa*dor\, Embassador \Em*bas"sa*dor\, n. [See Embassador.]1. A minister of the highest rank sent to a foreign court to represent there his sovereign or country. Note: Ambassadors are either ordinary [or resident] or extraordinary, that is, sent upon some special or unusual occasion or errand. --Abbott. 2. An official messenger and representative.
Ambassador
In the Old Testament the Hebrew word _tsir_, meaning "one who goes on an errand," is rendered thus (Josh. 9:4; Prov. 13:17; Isa. 18:2; Jer. 49:14; Obad. 1:1). This is also the rendering of _melits_, meaning "an interpreter," in 2 Chr. 32:31; and of _malak_, a "messenger," in 2 Chr. 35:21; Isa. 30:4; 33:7; Ezek. 17:15. This is the name used by the apostle as designating those who are appointed by God to declare his will (2 Cor. 5:20; Eph. 6:20). The Hebrews on various occasions and for various purposes had recourse to the services of ambassadors, e.g., to contract alliances (Josh. 9:4), to solicit favours (Num. 20:14), to remonstrate when wrong was done (Judg. 11:12), to condole with a young king on the death of his father (2 Sam. 10:2), and to congratulate a king on his accession to the throne (1 Kings 5:1). To do injury to an ambassador was to insult the king who sent him (2 Sam. 10:5).
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