embassy

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ent-
2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂énts?
3. Proto-Indo-European*h₂m̥bʰí
4. Proto-Celtic*ambi-
5. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eǵ-
6. Proto-Indo-European*h₂éǵeti
7. Proto-Celtic*ageti
8. Proto-Celtic*ambaxtos
9. Gaulishambaxtos
10. Old Occitanambaissada
11. Old Italianambasciata
12. Old Frenchambascee
13. Middle Frenchambassee
14. Englishambassy
15. English todayembassy

Modern variant of obsolete ambassy, from Middle French ambassee (“mission, embassy”), from Old French ambascee (also enbassee (“message for a high official, official mission”)) from Old Italian ambasciata, from Old Occitan ambaissada (“embassy”), derived from ambaissa (“message”), from Late Latin ambactia (“service rendered”) (attested also as ambascia, from Proto-Germanic *ambahtiją (“service”), *ambahtaz (“follower, servant”), from Gaulish ambaxtos (“dependant, vassal”, literally “one who is sent around”), from Proto-Celtic *ambaxtos (“servant”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂m̥bʰi-h₂eǵ- (“drive around”); compare Latin ambactus, Old Irish amus, amsach (“mercenary, servant”), Welsh amaeth (“tenant farm”)). Doublet of ambassade.

Words from the same roots