What does embassade mean?
Embassade is an archaic English noun denoting an embassy in the older sense of that word: a formal mission dispatched by one ruler, state, or authority to another, typically to negotiate, deliver a message, or conduct diplomacy. By extension it could also refer to the message or errand itself that such a mission carried. The word entered English through Old French and shares its origins with ambassador and embassy, all tracing back to terms for one who travels on another's behalf. Although once a perfectly ordinary word, embassade was gradually displaced by embassy and survives only in historical texts, legal records, and regional dialect. Modern readers encounter it chiefly in older literature, where phrases like 'to send an embassade' are common. It carries a formal, ceremonial flavor, evoking courts, envoys, and royal correspondence, and is best treated today as a historical or literary curiosity rather than living vocabulary.
A diplomatic mission sent by one ruler or state to another; an embassy in its historical sense.
"The emperor received an embassade from the distant western court."
The message or errand conveyed by such a mission.
"The envoy bore an embassade demanding the release of the prisoners."
Regular plural; extremely rare even when the singular was current.
"Embassades passed frequently between the two kingdoms during the truce."
Before 'embassy' won the job, English speakers said 'embassade' — a word that survives today only in old texts and dialect.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of embassade
Embassade came into Middle English from Old French embassade (also ambassade), the same Romance lineage that produced both embassy and ambassador. The ultimate source is generally traced to a Celtic root meaning one who moves about or serves as a messenger, passing through medieval Latin ambasiata before reaching French and English. It was gradually supplanted by embassy, which became the standard form by the early modern period.
Related word forms
How embassade is actually used
Archaic and literary; not used in modern diplomatic contexts. Encountered mainly in historical documents and older literature.
Easily confused with embassade
Embassy is the modern standard word for a diplomatic mission or its building, while embassade is an archaic or dialectal variant now rarely used.