ambassador

IPA/æmˈbæsədə(r)/
KK[æmbˈæsədɚ]IPA/æmˈbæsədər/

ambassador — noun

  • ambassadorsingular
  • ambassadorsplural

1. a senior diplomat sent by one country to live in another, where they speak and a

1.nounB2
Definition

a senior diplomat sent by one country to live in another, where they speak and act on behalf of their government and are formally recognised by the host country.

Example

Maria was appointed Brazil's ambassador to Japan last spring.

ambassador to + [country]

The French ambassador met President Okafor at the palace this morning.

Common collocations
  • appoint someone ambassador
  • the ambassador to [country]
  • the former ambassador
  • recall the ambassador
Synonyms
  • envoy

    any official messenger sent abroad; broader and often less senior than ambassador

  • diplomat

    general term for any government representative working overseas; ambassador is the highest rank

  • consul

    official posted abroad to help citizens with passports and trade, lower in rank than an ambassador

Grammar Patterns

ambassador to [country]

ambassador from [country]

Usage Note

Subject is typically a named country or government. Often used with 'to' for the host country and 'from' for the home country. Capitalised when used as a title before a name (Ambassador Lin).

Common Mistakes

He is the ambassador in Spain.
He is the ambassador to Spain.
use 'to' for the country where the ambassador is posted, not 'in'.
She is an embassador.
She is an ambassador.
common spelling slip; the correct form starts with 'amb-'.

2. someone chosen to be the public face of a company, charity, sport, or cause, hel

2.nounB2
Definition

someone chosen to be the public face of a company, charity, sport, or cause, helping to promote it and attract support or customers.

Example

Tennis star Ravi Park became a brand ambassador for a famous watch company.

brand ambassador for [company]

The charity asked the actor to be its goodwill ambassador for children's health.

goodwill ambassador for [cause]

Common collocations
  • brand ambassador
  • goodwill ambassador
  • ambassador for [a cause]
  • act as an ambassador
Synonyms
  • representative

    neutral term; an ambassador in this sense is usually a high-profile representative

  • spokesperson

    speaks publicly on behalf of a group; an ambassador also represents through image and behaviour

  • advocate

    actively argues for a cause; ambassador focuses more on visibility and promotion

Grammar Patterns

ambassador for [cause/brand]

Usage Note

Almost always followed by 'for' plus the cause, brand, or activity (not 'of'). Distinguish from sense 1: this sense has no government link and the role can be informal or paid promotion.

Common Mistakes

She is an ambassador of our brand.
She is an ambassador for our brand.
use 'for' with this sense, not 'of'.
The actor became ambassador the charity.
The actor became an ambassador for the charity.
needs the article 'an' and the preposition 'for'.

Word family

  • ambassadorial
    adjectiveC2
  • ambassadorship
    nounC2
  • embassy
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

An ambassador is the most senior official a country sends to live in another country, formally accredited and based at an embassy. A diplomat is the broad umbrella term for any government employee working abroad on foreign relations; every ambassador is a diplomat, but most diplomats are not ambassadors. An envoy is sent for a specific purpose or message and may be temporary, so a country might send an envoy for one round of talks without giving them ambassador status. A consul is posted to a city rather than a capital, and mostly handles practical matters like helping travellers, issuing visas, and supporting trade. Compare: 'The ambassador hosted dinner at the embassy', 'Two consuls in Hong Kong issued emergency passports', 'The president sent a personal envoy to discuss a ceasefire.'

ambassador ↗envoy ↗diplomat ↗consul ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • brand ambassador
  • goodwill ambassador
  • ambassador's residence
  • former ambassador

Phrases

  • appoint someone (as) ambassador
  • serve as ambassador
  • recall the ambassador

Prepositions

  • ambassador to
  • ambassador from
  • ambassador for

Etymology

CelticMedieval LatinItalianOld FrenchEnglish

Ambassador entered English in the late 1300s through Old French 'ambassadeur', which came from Italian 'ambasciatore'. The Italian form traces back to Medieval Latin 'ambactiator', built on 'ambactus', a word of Celtic origin meaning 'servant' or 'someone sent on a mission'. The early sense was simply 'a person sent on official business', and over the centuries it narrowed to the modern meaning of a senior diplomat representing one government to another. The figurative meaning, as in a brand or goodwill ambassador, developed much later by extension from the diplomatic sense.