embassy
Pluralembassies
- 1The building that serves as the official home of an ambassador or a diplomatic mission.
Like a home base for a country's representatives in another country.
The embassy stands behind tall gates on a quiet street.
Protesters gathered outside the French embassy in the capital.
- 2A group of officials who represent their country in another country or at an international body like the United Nations.
Like a team that speaks and acts for their home country while living in another one.
The embassy issued new visas for students traveling abroad.
She works at the embassy as a translator.
Similarmission
Note
- 3The work and duties that an ambassador carries out.
Like the job a messenger has when sent to speak for someone important.
His embassy kept him abroad for several years.
She took up her embassy with great care and skill.
Similarmission, ambassadorship
Note
- 4A short-term group sent by a country to deal with another country for a special purpose.
Like sending a small team on a special trip to settle one important matter.
The country sent an embassy to negotiate the release of prisoners.
An embassy arrived to congratulate the new king.
Similarmission, delegation, deputation
Note
Less common meaning
- 5A written report that describes a diplomatic mission and what it did.
Like a trip report that tells everything that happened on a journey.
The envoy's embassy described each meeting with the foreign king.
They kept the embassy as a record of the whole journey.
Note
Practice
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Origin
It came through French and Italian words meaning a mission or message, going back to a Latin word for 'service' that came from Celtic and older roots meaning a servant or messenger.