What does embassy mean?
An embassy is the official representation of one country within the capital city of another, comprising both the physical building and the team of diplomats who work there under an ambassador. Embassies serve as the principal channel of communication between governments, handling everything from trade negotiations and visa applications to protecting their citizens abroad. In international law, an embassy enjoys special protections: its premises are generally considered inviolable, meaning local police cannot enter without permission, which is why people occasionally seek refuge inside them. The word carries a formal, institutional tone and is always capitalized as part of a proper name, such as the Japanese Embassy in London. It should not be confused with an ambassador, the person leading the mission, nor with a consulate, a smaller office that provides services outside the capital.
The official residence and offices of an ambassador, or the diplomatic mission they lead, representing one sovereign state in another.
"Documents must be certified at the embassy before submission."
Frequently capitalized in proper names such as 'the Indian Embassy'.
(Archaic) A message or important errand entrusted to an envoy.
"The king dispatched his envoy on an embassy of peace."
This sense is obsolete in modern usage.
Regular plural: words ending in consonant + y form the plural with -ies.
"Several foreign embassies closed their doors during the crisis."
Step inside an embassy and you are legally standing on your own country's soil — a tiny piece of home planted in a foreign city.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of embassy
Embassy entered English in the late 16th to early 17th century from Middle French 'ambassee', borrowed from Italian 'ambasciata' or Old Occitan 'ambaisada'. These trace back to the Gaulish word 'ambactos', meaning 'one going around', later 'servant or messenger', which also gave English 'ambassador'. An older English form, 'embassage', survives only in archaic use.
Related word forms
How embassy is actually used
Always capitalized when part of a proper name (the US Embassy in Nairobi). 'Embassy' refers specifically to missions headed by ambassadors in national capitals; a 'consulate' handles routine services in other cities. The historical sense of 'a message or errand' is now archaic.
Easily confused with embassy
An ambassador is the individual diplomat who heads the mission, while an embassy is the mission itself — its offices, staff, and institution.