ombudsman

<font size="-1" face="arial, helvetica"> <p> <strong> <font color="#000066">Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 2, 2020 is:</font> </strong> </p> <p> <strong>ombudsman</strong> &#149; \AHM-boodz-mun\&nbsp; &#149; <em>noun</em><br /> <p><strong>1 :</strong> a government official (as in Sweden or New Zealand) appointed to receive and investigate complaints made by individuals against abuses or capricious acts of public officials</p> <p><strong>2 :</strong> one that investigates, reports on, and helps settle complaints</p> </p> <p> <strong>Examples:</strong><br /> <p>"High-performing nursing homes usually have waiting lists, said Salli Pung, the state of Michigan's long-term care <em>ombudsman</em>." — <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/06/23/hubs-picked-care-covid-19-seniors-have-low-quality-ratings/3244493001/">Craig Mauger, <em>The Detroit News</em>, 26 June 2020</a></p> <p>"The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has named Jonathan Midgett as its consumer <em>ombudsman</em>, a new position that seeks to give consumers a greater voice and understanding of the agency and its activities." — <a href="https://www.furnituretoday.com/furniture-manufacturing/cpsc-names-jonathan-midgett-to-new-consumer-ombudsman-post/">Thomas Russell, <em>Furniture Today</em>, 16 June 2020</a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Did you know?</strong><br /> <p><em>Ombudsman</em> was borrowed from Swedish, where it means "representative," and ultimately derives from the Old Norse words <em>umboth</em> ("commission") and <em>mathr</em> ("man"). Sweden became the first country to appoint an independent official known as an ombudsman to investigate complaints against government officials and agencies. Since then, other countries (such as Finland, Denmark, and New Zealand), as well as some U.S. states, have appointed similar officials. The word also designates a person who reviews complaints against an organization (such as a school or hospital) or t