An attaché is a person who is assigned to the diplomatic or administrative staff of a higher-placed person, another service, or an agency. The term is a loanword from French, and in English, it is not modified according to gender. Attachés can serve as diplomats or members of the support staff, working under the authority of an ambassador or other head of a diplomatic mission. They are often found in intergovernmental organizations, international non-governmental organizations, or agencies, and they monitor various issues related to their area of specialty.
Some examples of attachés include:
- Cultural attaché
- Customs attaché
- Police officer attaché
- Labor attaché
- Legal attaché
- Liaison officer attaché
- Military/defense attaché
- Press attaché
- Agricultural attaché
- Commercial attaché
- Maritime attaché
- Science attaché.
In addition to its usage in diplomacy, the term "attaché" can also refer to a small, rectangular briefcase, often called an "attaché case".
