Where does “ambassade” come from?
ambassade (Middle French) comes from Old French ambassade, from Italian ambasciata, from Old Occitan ambaissada, from Old Occitan ambaissa, from Latin ambactia, from Proto-Germanic ambahtiją, from Proto-Germanic ambahtaz, from Gaulish ambaxtos — to drive.
ambassade (Middle French): embassy
Definitions
- embassy
Ancestry of “ambassade”, step by step
ambassade traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old French ambassade
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | ambassade | — |
| 2 | Italian | ambasciata | embassy; errand |
| 3 | Old Occitan | ambaissada | embassy |
| 4 | Old Occitan | ambaissa | service, mission, errand; message |
| 5 | Latin | ambactia | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | ambahtiją | service, ministry, office, message |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | ambahtaz | servant |
| 8 | Gaulish | ambaxtos | vassal, high-ranking servant |
| 9 | Proto-Celtic | ambaxtos | servant |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eǵ- | to drive |
via Old Italian ambasciata
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Italian | ambasciata | — |