Ombudsperson

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A representative responsible for resolving complaints lodged by the public against institutions or authorities
2. An appointed individual who mediates disputes and ensures accountability in public services or organizations for the community
3. An official appointed to examine and address grievances raised by the public against organizations or governmental bodies

Etymology: Swedish gave English the office, and the office gave English the word. In Sweden, an "ombudsman" is an official appointed to look into citizens' complaints against public authorities, a role that made the idea famous worldwide. The Swedish word combines "ombud", meaning representative or proxy, with "man", meaning man, so the literal sense is something like "representative-man," a person who acts on another's behalf. That "ombud" element goes back to Old Norse "umboðsmaðr", a term for a man who handled another's affairs, which is where the Swedish word's history runs deepest. The Old Norse root reaches through a legal sense of representing someone else's interests, which is still visible in the official's job of standing between the citizen and the state. "Ombudsperson" is a gender-neutral variant of "ombudsman", formed by swapping "man" for "person" so the title does not refer to a male official.

Synonyms: ombudsman, representative, advocate, mediator, intercessor