Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The art or practice of conducting international relations, as in negotiating alliances, treaties, and agreements.
  • noun Tact or skill in dealing with people.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The science of the forms, ceremonies, and methods to be observed in conducting the actual intercourse of one state with another, through authorized agents, on the basis of international law; the art of conducting such intercourse, as in negotiating and drafting treaties, representing the interests of a state or its subjects at a foreign court, etc.
  • noun The act or practice of negotiation or official intercourse, as between independent powers; diplomatic procedure in general; the transaction of international business: as, the history of European diplomacy.
  • noun Hence Dexterity or skill in managing negotiations of any kind; artful management with the view of securing advantages; diplomatic tact.
  • noun A diplomatic body; the whole body of ministers at a foreign court.
  • noun Same as diplomatics.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations (particularly in securing treaties), including the methods and forms usually employed.
  • noun Dexterity or skill in securing advantages; tact.
  • noun rare The body of ministers or envoys resident at a court; the diplomatic body.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The art and practice of conducting international relations by negotiating alliances, treaties, agreements etc., bilaterally or multilaterally, between states and sometimes international organisms, or even between policies with varying status, such as those of monarchs and their princely vassals
  • noun Tact and subtle skill in dealing with people so as to avoid or settle hostility.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun subtly skillful handling of a situation
  • noun wisdom in the management of public affairs
  • noun negotiation between nations

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French diplomatie, from Latin as if *diplomatia, from diploma ("letter of recommendation or authority"); see diploma.

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