attaché

A junior diplomatic official attached to an embassy, legation, or consulate, usually to assist with a particular area of work. Paid attachés were salaried members of the diplomatic service, while unpaid attachés generally served without salary, often as a means of gaining diplomatic experience or establishing a career. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, unpaid attachés were sometimes young men from well-connected families. The term remains in use for diplomatic posts with specialised responsibilities.