Ombudsman
Etymology
From Swedish ombudsman (“legal representative, agent”), from Old Norse umboðsmaðr, from umboð (“commission, charge”) plus maðr (“man”). Sweden created the office in 1809, and English borrowed both the word and the institution in the mid-twentieth century.
noun · /OM-buudz-muhn/
An impartial official who investigates people’s complaints against an organization.
What it names
The neutral go-between — the appointed figure who hears grievances against a government or company and pushes for fair resolution.
Example
When the insurer stonewalled her, she took the case to the industry ombudsman.
Related idea
An arbiter settles a dispute with binding authority; an ombudsman investigates and recommends, acting as an impartial intermediary.
See also