Ambas'sador, a minister of the highest rank, employed by one prince or state at the court of another. Ambassadors are ordinary when they reside permanently at a foreign court, or extraordinary when they are sent on a special occasion. When ambassadors extraordinary have full powers, as of concluding peace, making treaties, and the like, they are called plenipotentiaries. Until recently the United States sent no ambassadors to foreign countries, but were represented by ministers-plenipotentiary, appointed by the president with approval of the Senate. In 1896 the ministers to Germany, France, England and Italy were raised to the rank of ambassadors in recognition of similar action upon the part of those governments, and since that time other ambassadorships have been named, including the post at Japan.