The position or rank of being an attaché, a junior diplomatic official assigned to an embassy or consulate.
From French 'attaché' meaning 'attached' (someone attached to an embassy), plus the suffix '-ship' denoting a status, office, or condition. The term emerged in the 18th century as diplomatic structure became more formalized.
Attaché positions were originally given to ambitious young men who attached themselves to ambassadors without official status—now it's a recognized diplomatic rank, making 'attacheship' a bureaucratic way to say 'the job of being someone's official shadow.'
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