What does diplomacy mean?
Word: Diplomacy
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Diplomacy means the work of managing relations between countries through talks; also skill in dealing with people politely so that no one is upset.
Synonyms: negotiation, statesmanship
Antonyms: tactlessness, rudeness
How do you spell diplomacy?
Syllables: di - plo - ma - cy
Tricky part: It starts with di, not de, and the first part is spelt exactly like diploma.
Watch out for: deplomacy, diplomasy, diplomacey
Memory tip: Picture an ambassador's diploma framed on an embassy wall: diploma gives you the first seven letters of diplomacy.
Diplomacy in a sentence
Example 1: Through quiet diplomacy, the two countries agreed to reopen the border crossing.
Example 2: Mum used a little diplomacy to stop my brother and me from squabbling over the remote.
Example 3: Ambassadors are trained in diplomacy before they are posted abroad.
Fun Fact
Diploma comes from a Greek word for a paper folded in two, which later came to mean an official document. Diplomacy grew out of it and reached English from French in the late 1700s.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Choose the suffix that completes the word:
diploma
a) cey
b) cy
c) sie
d) sy
Show answer
b) cy. As with privacy and accuracy, the ending here is cy.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word:
diplomacy
a) patience
b) tact
c) courage
d) warfare
Show answer
b) tact. Tact is the skill of saying things kindly, which is what diplomacy needs.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
lacypomid
a) diplomacy
b) diploma
c) diplomat
d) comply
Show answer
a) diplomacy. Diplomat would need a t, and diploma and comply leave letters out.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
With a little diplomacy, Meera ended the arguement between her two best friends.
a) diplomacy
b) arguement
c) friends
d) little
Show answer
b) arguement. Argue drops its e before ment: argument.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which reply to an angry customer shows diplomacy?
a) Please stop shouting and go away.
b) I understand. Let me see how I can help.
c) That is not my problem at all.
d) You should have read the rules first.
Show answer
b) I understand. Let me see how I can help.
2. Countries carry out diplomacy mainly through their ____.
a) stock markets
b) embassies
c) police stations
d) armies
Show answer
b) embassies
