Emily Dickinson Lexicon

EM-BAS'SA-DOR, n. [Sp. embaxador; Port. id.; Fr. ambassadeur; It. ambasciadore; Arm. ambaçzador; Norm. ambaxeur. Spelman refers this word to the G. ambact, which Cesar calls ambactus, a client or retainer among the Gauls. Cluver, Ant. Ger. 1, 8, favors this opinion, and mentions that, in the laws of Burgundy, ambascia was equivalent to the Ger. ambact, service, now contracted to amt, D. ampt, Dan. ambt, Sw. embete, office, duty, function, employment, province. The Dutch has ambagt, trade, handcraft, a manor, a lordship, and ambagstman, a journeyman or mechanic, which is evidently the Sw. embetesman. The Danish has also embede, office, employment. In Sax. embeht, ymbeht, is office, duty, employment; embehtan, to serve; embehtman, a servant; also ambeht, collation; ambyht, a message or legation, an embassy; ambyhtsecga, a legate or envoy (a message-sayer.) The word in Gothic is andbahts, a servant; andbahtyan, to serve. The German has amtsbote, a messenger. The first syllable em is from emb, ymb, αμφι, about, and the root of ambact is Bg. See Pack and Dispatch.]

1. A minister of the highest rank, employed by one prince or state, at the court of another, to manage the public concerns of his own prince or state, and representing the power and dignity of his sovereign. Embassadors are ordinary, when they reside permanently at a foreign court; or extraordinary, when they are sent on a special occasion. They are also called ministers. Envoys are ministers employed on special occasions, and are of less dignity. Johnson. Encyc.
2. In ludicrous language, a messenger. Ash.