ombudsman
ombudsman Lexical Profile
ombudsman Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An official appointed by a government, organization, or institution to investigate and resolve complaints made by individuals against public authorities, companies, or administrative bodies.
"After her billing dispute with the utility company went unresolved for months, she filed a formal complaint with the financial ombudsman."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although borrowed from Swedish where its plural is 'ombudsmän', the standard English plural is 'ombudsmen'. In contemporary North American and institutional usage, the gender-neutral terms 'ombudsperson' or simply 'ombuds' are frequently preferred.
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-20th century from Swedish 'ombudsman', meaning 'legal representative' or 'commissioner', from Old Norse 'umboðsmaðr', a compound of 'umboð' (charge, commission, administration) and 'maðr' (man, person).