"official appointed to investigate complaints by individuals against institutions or authorities," 1959, from Swedish ombudsman, literally "commission man" (specifically in reference to the office of justitieombudsmannen, which heard and investigated complaints by individuals against abuses of the state); cognate with Old Norse umboðsmaðr, from umboð "commission" (from um- "around," from Proto-Germanic umbi, from PIE root *ambhi- "around," + boð "command," from PIE root *bheudh- "be aware, make aware") + maðr "man" (from PIE root *man- (1) "man").