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Glite Dictionary
🏛️ A diplomatic office 👤 A legate's office
legation

legation

1 9.9
The office of a representative of the Pope or a small diplomatic mission
  • noun
  • /lɪˈɡeɪʃən/
  • Archaic
translation icon : legación
  • Because of the modernization processes promoted by Menelik II, visitors to the imperial court increased, and foreigners and legations began to settle in the capital.

Examples

  • Kristallnacht followed the death on November 9 of Ernst vom Rath, legation secretary at the German embassy in Paris.

    Academic text (1998)

  • We have heard from many reliable men and also have seen ourselves how the faithful stream to many places in the area of our legation to worship the precious blood of the Lord that they believe is present in a transformed red host.

    Academic text (2005)

  • I have been to the legation.

    The Quiet American (1958)

  • "I've seen the legation reports, and I've spoken with some of your associates on your world.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • By her official presence in the missionary legation, she makes that body more truly Catholic, representing both the importance of women in the Church and the opportunities for full salvation and membership for the women she evangelizes.

    Academic text (2002)

  • Ankara appointed Ekrem Guvendiren, a senior diplomat, to the head of the legation in Tel Aviv in 1986.

    Academic text (1992)

  • Ibsen readily admitted to his distaste for the chief of the legation, partly because of his excessive love for receptions and dinners, which left most of the work to be done by Ibsen himself, but probably also because of their Swedish-Norwegian rivalry.

    Academic text (1996)

  • The ambassador held meetings at the legation, discussing important treaties with other diplomats.

  • During the event, representatives from various countries gathered at the legation to discuss international relations.

  • The legation served as the official residence for diplomats visiting the city.

Synonyms

ambassadorship
vslegation
  • Formal
4 7.6

A job in which someone represents their country abroad

applies specifically to papal or smaller missions rather than national posts
consulship
vslegation
  • Formal
1 9.7

The time when a consul, a high official, holds office, for example in ancient Rome

denotes a papal diplomatic mission rather than civic commercial duties
legatine
vslegation
  • Formal
1 9.9

A person the pope sends to act for him

focuses on the office or mission rather than authority
legateship
vslegation
  • Formal
9.9

The time when a person acts as an official representative for a church or government

has identical meaning but is an alternative form of the word

Surface Forms

legation singular
legations plural

Morphology

legation = legate (semi-transparent) = legate + ion

The form clearly consists of 'legate' plus '-ion', but the nominalization is specialized to an official office rather than a fully predictable general meaning.

Etymology

Legation comes from the Latin legatus and legare which mean 'a person sent' and 'to send', and is related to the word legate. Historically it named the office or post of a sent representative (often the Pope's or a smaller diplomatic mission), so a legation is the official position or mission of a representative abroad.