agent

[ ey-juhnt ]

noun

1. a person or business authorized to act on another's behalf:

   Our agent in Hong Kong will ship the merchandise.

   A best-selling author needs a good agent.

   Synonyms: deputy, representative

2. a person or thing that acts or has the power to act.
3. a natural force or object producing or used for obtaining specific results:

   Many insects are agents of fertilization.

   Synonyms: means

4. an active cause; an efficient cause.
5. a person who works for or manages an agency.
6. a person who acts in an official capacity for a government or private agency as a guard, detective, or spy:

   an FBI agent;

   the secret agents of a foreign power.

7. a person responsible for a particular action:

   Who was the agent of this deed?

8. Grammar. a form or construction, usually a noun or noun phrase, denoting an animate being that performs or causes the action expressed by the verb, as the police in The car was found by the police.
9. Indian agent.
10. a representative of a business firm, especially a traveling salesperson; canvasser; solicitor.
11. Chemistry. a substance that causes a reaction.
12. Pharmacology. a drug or chemical capable of eliciting a biological response.
13. Pathology. any microorganism capable of causing disease.
14. British. a campaign manager; an election agent.

adjective

1. acting; exerting power ( patient ).

verb (used with object)

1. to represent (a person or thing) as an agent; act as an agent for: Who agented that deal?

   to agent a manuscript;

   Who agented that deal?

agent

/ ˈeɪdʒənt; eɪˈdʒɛnʃəl /

noun

1. a person who acts on behalf of another person, group, business, government, etc; representative
2. a person or thing that acts or has the power to act
3. a phenomenon, substance, or organism that exerts some force or effect

   a chemical agent

4. the means by which something occurs or is achieved; instrument

   wind is an agent of plant pollination

5. a person representing a business concern, esp a travelling salesman
6. short for estate agent
7. short for secret agent

agent

/ ā′jənt /

1. A substance that can bring about a chemical reaction or a biological effect.
2. Compare reagent

Derived Forms

• agential, adjective

Other Word Forms

• counter·agent noun
• inter·agent noun
• super·agent noun
• under·agent noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of agent¹

First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin agent-, stem of agēns “doing,” present participle of agere “to do, drive”

Word History and Origins

Origin of agent¹

C15: from Latin agent-, noun use of the present participle of agere to do

Example Sentences

From there, he introduced me to agents in New York and L.A.

From Los Angeles Times

Economists and real estate agents cited a variety of factors probably contributing to the trend, including high mortgage rates, rising inventory and the economic uncertainty caused in part by on-again, off-again tariffs.

From Los Angeles Times

Forgetting to declare a bag of frog embryos to customs agents at the airport, work materials for her research at Harvard University.

From Salon

He tells the BBC that scammers are behind many of these lock-outs and one of their preferred methods of fooling people is to masquerade as customer support agents.

From BBC

Another is a 19-year-old who entered the country legally and had a permit to work but was reportedly grabbed by ICE agents during an operation that was targeting someone else.

From Salon

Related Words

• assistant
• broker
• commissioner
• deputy
• handler
• lawyer
• minister
• officer
• operative
• operator
• promoter
• representative
• worker

Quiz

Q: Fill in the blank: "Salchipapas" is a portmanteau of the Spanish words for ______ and ______.

• salt and potatoes
• sausage and French fries
• sardines and French fries

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