Search

a diplomatic official of the highest rank, sent by one sovereign or state to another as its resident representative (amb-ssador extraordinary and plenipotentiary)
a diplomatic official of the highest rank sent by a government to represent it on a temporary mission, as for negotiating a treaty.
a diplomatic official serving as permanent head of a country’s mission to the united nations or some other international organization.
an authorized messenger or representative.
abbreviation: amb., amb.
contemporary examples

under the current president and his predecessor, jett notes, the amb-ssadorship of belize has gone to college roommates.
u.s. emb-ssies have always been for sale william o’connor january 1, 2015

this is promising since he already has established trust with israel from his amb-ssadorship.
what should we expect from martin indyk? rachel cohen july 23, 2013

nyamayaro was the one who offered watson the amb-ssadorship, and has handled her relationship with the un ever since.
from hermione to u.n. heroine: emma watson’s ‘bad-ss’ transformation asawin suebsaeng september 21, 2014

sembler was lampooned as a wealthy airhead who basically won the amb-ssadorship at auction.
mel sembler: mitt romney’s florida fat cat lloyd grove august 23, 2012

an amb-ssadorship to the vatican, as has been speculated in recent british press reports, seems very unlikely.
caroline kennedy’s next move lloyd grove may 4, 2009

historical examples

i decided to take his seat for myself, so i asked the president to offer him an amb-ssadorship.
philip dru: administrator edward mandell house

you should have been a diplomat, croyden—nothing less than an amb-ssadorship for you, my boy!
in her own right john reed scott

through all his brief amb-ssadorship lichnowsky had shown these same friendly traits.
the life and letters of walter h. page, volume i burton j. hendrick

there’s an ugly story going about privately as to how he got the amb-ssadorship.
the great g-d success john graham (david graham phillips)

and that it was a great part, the story of his amb-ssadorship abundantly proves.
the life and letters of walter h. page, volume ii burton j. hendrick

noun
short for amb-ssador extraordinary and plenipotentiary; a diplomatic minister of the highest rank, accredited as permanent representative to another country or sovereign
amb-ssador extraordinary, a diplomatic minister of the highest rank sent on a special mission
amb-ssador plenipotentiary, a diplomatic minister of the first rank with treaty-signing powers
(us) amb-ssador-at-large, an amb-ssador with special duties who may be sent to more than one government
an authorized representative or messenger
n.

late 14c., also emb-ssador, from middle french amb-ssadeur, from old french emb-ssator, via provençal or old spanish from latin ambactus “a servant, v-ssal,” from celtic amb(i)actos “a messenger, servant,” from pie -ambhi- “about” (see ambi-) + -ag- “drive, lead” (see act (v.)). cf. emb-ssy. forms in am- and em- were used indiscriminately 17c.-18c.

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 g-d 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 amb-ssadors, 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 amb-ssador was to insult the king who sent him (2 sam. 10:5).