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Where does the word "embassy" come from? It comes from Gothic andbahti, passing through French before entering English (1570s).
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Where does the word "embassy" come from? It comes from Gothic andbahti, passing through French before entering English (1570s).
Embassy’s story begins in Gothic: andbahti meant “office, service.” A Gothic word, borrowed into Medieval Latin as 'ambactia'. By 1400s, the word had taken hold in French as ambassade. Came via Italian 'ambasciata'. It reached English by 1570s as embassy. The building sense dates from the 1800s. Today, embassy means the official residence of an ambassador.
- Stage 1 · Gothic · ancient andbahti "office, service", a Gothic word, borrowed into Medieval Latin as 'ambactia'.
- Stage 2 · French · 1400s ambassade "mission of envoys", came via Italian 'ambasciata'.
- Stage 3 · English · 1570s embassy "mission of envoys", the building sense dates from the 1800s.