embassy

embassy — noun

1. the senior diplomatic staff, under the leadership of an ambassador, that carry o

1.nounB1
Definition

the senior diplomatic staff, under the leadership of an ambassador, that carry out their home country's official dealings with a foreign government.

Example

The Japanese embassy issued a travel warning for citizens visiting the region.

embassy issues warning — institutional authority

Lucas contacted the French embassy to check the visa requirements for students.

Common collocations
  • embassy officials
  • embassy staff
  • embassy spokesman
  • contact the embassy
  • the embassy confirmed
Synonyms
  • diplomatic mission

    more formal and broader in scope, referring to the diplomatic presence rather than specifically the staff

  • consulate

    a lower-rank diplomatic office that handles visas and citizen services but is not headed by an ambassador

  • delegation

    refers to a group sent for a specific purpose or event, not a permanent diplomatic presence

Grammar Patterns

the + nationality + embassy + verb (official action)

embassy + of + country name

Usage Note

Frequently takes a singular verb in American English (the embassy has decided…). British English sometimes accepts a plural verb when emphasising individual staff members (the embassy have decided…). Common verbs that follow embassy as a subject include issue, announce, arrange, host, and confirm.

Common Mistakes

I went to the embassy to ask for a visa.
I went to the embassy to apply for a visa.
'ask for' is too vague in this context; the precise action at an embassy is to submit an application.

2. the official building or group of buildings where a country's diplomatic staff d

2.nounB1
Definition

the official building or group of buildings where a country's diplomatic staff do their work, and where the ambassador often lives.

Example

The German embassy in Hanoi has a glass façade blending modern and local styles.

embassy as architectural subject

Large crowds of protesters gathered outside the embassy holding signs and chanting slogans.

outside + the embassy — physical location

Common collocations
  • embassy building
  • embassy compound
  • embassy grounds
  • outside the embassy
  • embassy entrance
  • embassy security
Synonyms
  • consulate

    the building of a lower-rank diplomatic office, often handling visa and passport services

  • chancery

    a technical term for the office building of an embassy, not commonly used by general learners

  • diplomatic compound

    a larger site that may contain the embassy building plus residences and other facilities

Grammar Patterns

the + nationality + embassy

at / outside / inside + the + embassy

Usage Note

Commonly preceded by a nationality adjective (the Brazilian embassy, the US embassy). The preposition at is most frequent for describing location (at the embassy); outside and inside refer to the physical grounds. In news reports, the building is often the subject of verbs describing its appearance (features, sits, stands) or security (was evacuated, was attacked).

Common Mistakes

The embassy of the United States of America in Tokyo is very big.
The US embassy in Tokyo is very big.
In natural English, use a nationality adjective before 'embassy' rather than 'the embassy of [country].'

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Embassy, consulate, diplomatic mission, and high commission all refer to official overseas representations, but they differ in rank and scope. An embassy is the highest-level diplomatic office in a foreign capital, headed by an ambassador. A consulate is a lower-level office (usually in a major city outside the capital) that handles visas, passports, and support for citizens; it is not led by an ambassador. Diplomatic mission is the broadest, umbrella term covering any official representation abroad, including both embassies and consulates. A high commission is the equivalent of an embassy but specifically between Commonwealth nations (e.g., the British High Commission in Ottawa). In everyday language, embassy is the most common word; when visiting a foreign country to get a visa, you would say 'I went to the embassy' even if technically it was a consulate — most learners do not need to make that fine distinction.

embassy ↗consulate ↗diplomatic missionhigh commission

Common collocations

Nouns

  • embassy official
  • embassy staff
  • embassy building
  • embassy compound
  • embassy grounds
  • embassy security
  • embassy spokesman

Phrases

  • the US embassy
  • the French embassy
  • the Japanese embassy

Prepositions

  • at the embassy
  • to the embassy
  • outside the embassy
  • inside the embassy
  • near the embassy

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word embassy comes from Old French ambassée, meaning 'a message or an errand,' which itself traces back to Latin ambactus, meaning 'a servant or vassal.' Over time, the meaning shifted from the message itself to the people who carry the message, and finally to the building where those people work. The modern sense referring to the diplomatic staff appeared in the 1500s, and the building sense became common by the 1800s as countries began building dedicated embassies abroad.