embassy

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The function or duty of an ambassador.

   The King told me, […] That I ſhould have the Character of Ambaſſador Extraordinary, and the ſame Allovvance I ſhou'd have had in Spain: Upon this Offer I made no Demurr, but immediately accepted it, and ſo my Ambaſſy vvas declar'd in May 1674.

2. 2
   noun

   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.

   The American embassy to France is located in Paris.

3. 3
   noun

   A temporary mission representing a sovereign state.

   The Japanese embassy to the United States traveled to Washington, D.C., where it was received by James Buchanan, before continuing on to New York and then returning to Japan, making several stops on the way.

4. 4
   noun

   A written account as to an embassy.

   By the various Relations, Embaſſies and Voyages of Siam that have been publiſht within theſe laſt Four Years […]

5. 5
   noun

   a diplomatic building where ambassadors live or work

6. 6
   noun

   an ambassador and his entourage collectively

7. 7
   noun

   The official residence of such a group, or of an ambassador.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Celtic *ambaxtos Gaulish ambaxtosder. Old Occitan ambaissadabor. Old Italian ambasciatader. Old French ambascee Middle French ambasseebor. English ambassy English embassy Modern variant of obsolete ambassy, from Middle French ambassee (“mission, embassy”), from Old French ambascee (also enbassee (“message for a high official, official mission”)) from Old Italian ambasciata, from Old Occitan ambaissada (“embassy”), derived from ambaissa (“message”), from Late Latin ambactia (“service rendered”) (attested also as ambascia, from Proto-Germanic *ambahtiją (“service”), *ambahta…