noun
diplomat
DIP-luh-mat/ˈdɪpləmæt/
An official representing a country in international negotiations.
The diplomat shakes hands with another representative across the conference table.
Etymology
The underlying connection is to official documents. The shift toward foreign relations apparently arose when collections of treaties made “diplomatic” seem to describe international affairs rather than the documents themselves.
In context
So President Truman sends diplomat Averell Harriman to Iran over British objections. Many Iranians, including Mossadegh, see the US as fairer partner than the British, especially because the US has no major economic interests in the country.
More examples
- Diplomats from both countries meet to discuss the border dispute.
- She works as a diplomat at the American embassy.
- The diplomat negotiates a trade agreement on behalf of her government.
Forms
diplomat · diplomats
diplomacy noun — The practice of managing relations between countries.
diplomatic adjective — Relating to official relations between countries.
Similar words
- ambassador
- A senior diplomat who heads a country's diplomatic mission.
- envoy
- A representative often sent abroad for a specific diplomatic assignment.