chargé d'affaires

noun

char·​gé d'af·​faires (ˌ)shär-ˌzhā-də-ˈfer How to pronounce chargé d'affaires (audio)
plural chargés d'affaires (ˌ)shär-ˌzhā-də-ˈfer How to pronounce chargé d'affaires (audio)
-ˌzhāz-də-
1
: a subordinate diplomat who substitutes for an absent ambassador or minister
2
: a diplomat inferior in rank to an ambassador or minister who heads a mission when no ambassador or minister is assigned

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Condolences were sent by foreign leaders and diplomats, including the U.S. charge d'affaires. Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 28 Mar. 2012 Elizabeth Rood, the charge d'affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, is also in attendance at court, CNN’s Frederik Pleitgen reported. Siladitya Ray, Forbes, 1 July 2022 Earlier in the day, Kuwait followed Saudi Arabia and Bahrain by ordering the Lebanese charge d'affaires Saturday to leave the emirate within two days. The Associated. Press, Arkansas Online, 31 Oct. 2021 Daniel Smith to lead the US Embassy in New Delhi as the new charge d'affaires. Jennifer Hansler, CNN, 7 May 2021 In Bum Chun; Andrei Lankov, director, NK News, professor, Kookmin University; Evans J.R. Revere, former deputy chief of mission and charge d'affaires, U.S. Embassy, Seoul. Jamie Mcintyre, Washington Examiner, 24 Mar. 2021 Beyond Yovanovitch, staffers like her replacement, charge d'affaires Bill Taylor, and David Holmes, who served as political counselor in Kyiv, were called to testify about Trump's plan. Conor Finnegan, ABC News, 6 May 2021 In Bum Chun; Andrei Lankov, director, NK News, professor, Kookmin University; Evans J.R. Revere, former deputy chief of mission and charge d'affaires, U.S. Embassy, Seoul. Jamie Mcintyre, Washington Examiner, 24 Mar. 2021 In Bum Chun; Andrei Lankov, director, NK News, professor, Kookmin University; Evans J.R. Revere, former deputy chief of mission and charge d'affaires, U.S. Embassy, Seoul. Jamie Mcintyre, Washington Examiner, 24 Mar. 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chargé d'affaires.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, one charged with affairs

First Known Use

1756, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chargé d'affaires was in 1756

Dictionary Entries Near chargé d'affaires

Cite this Entry

“Chargé d'affaires.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/charg%C3%A9%20d%27affaires. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

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