A chargé d'affaires (French pronunciation: [ʃaʁʒe dafɛʁ]), plural chargés d'affaires, often shortened to chargé (French) and sometimes in colloquial English to charge-D, is a diplomat who serves as an embassy's chief of mission in the absence of the ambassador. The term is French for "charged with business", meaning they are responsible for the duties of an ambassador. Chargé is masculine in gender; the feminine form is chargée d'affaires. A chargé enjoys the same privileges and immunities as an ambassador under international law, and normally these extend to their aides as well. However, chargés d'affaires are outranked by ambassadors and have lower precedence at formal diplomatic events. In most cases, a diplomat serves as a chargé d'affaires on a temporary basis in the absence of the ambassador. In unusual situations, in cases where disputes between the two countries make it impossible or undesirable to send agents of a higher diplomatic rank, a chargé d'affaires may be appointed for an indefinite period. Source: Wikipedia (en)