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Origin and history of agent

agent(n.)

late 15c., "one who acts," from Latin agentem (nominative agens) "effective, powerful," present participle of agere "to set in motion, drive forward; to do, perform; keep in movement" (from PIE root *ag- "to drive, draw out or forth, move").

The meaning "any natural force or substance which produces a phenomenon" is from 1550s. The meaning "deputy, representative" is from 1590s. The sense of "spy, secret agent" is attested by 1916.

agent(adj.)

"acting, sustaining action," 1610s, from agent (n.).

also from 1610s

Entries linking to agent

Agent Orange(n.)

powerful defoliant used by U.S. military in the Vietnam War, reported to have been used from 1961; so called from the color strip on the side of the container, which distinguished it from Agent Blue, Agent White, etc., other herbicides used by the U.S. military; see agent (n.). Banned from April 1970.

double agent(n.)

"spy who works for two mutually hostile countries," but usually is loyal to only one of them, by 1920, from double (adj.) + agent (n.).

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Trends of agent

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

More to explore

factor
early 15c., "commercial agent, deputy, one who buys or sells for another," from French facteur "agent, representative" (Old French factor, faitor "doer, author, creator"), from Latin factor "doer, maker, performer," in Medieval Latin, "agent," agent noun from past participle stem
broker
mid-14c. (mid-13c. in surnames), "commercial agent, factor," also "an agent in sordid business," from Anglo-French brocour "small trader," from abrokur "retailer of wine, tapster;" perhaps from Portuguese alborcar "barter," but more likely from Old French brocheor, from brochier
procurator
"steward or manager of a household;" also "a provider" (late 13c. as a surname), from Old French procuratour "attorney, agent..., proxy, spokesman" (13c., Modern French procurateur) and directly from Latin procurator "manager, overseer, agent, deputy...," agent noun from past-participle stem of procurare "to manage, take care of" (see procure)....
motor
which imparts motion," mid-15c., "controller, prime mover (in reference to God);" from Late Latin motor, literally "mover," agent...Sense of "agent or force that produces mechanical motion" is first recorded 1660s; that of "machine that supplies motive...
receiver
goods); person who knowingly harbors criminals," also "government official appointed to collect or receive money due," agent...noun from receive, or from Old French recevere (Modern French receveur), agent noun from recievere....
publicist
[The Nation, Nov. 22, 1917] Meaning "press agent" is from 1925 (publicity agent attested by 1900); publicitor also was tried...
Realtor
1916, "real estate agent," American English, as though an agent noun from realty, coined by real estate agent Charles N....
substance
c. 1300, substaunce, "divine part or essence" common to the persons of the Trinity;" mid-14c. in philosophy and theology, "that which exists by itself; essential nature; type or kind of thing; real or essential part;" from Old French sustance, substance "goods, possessions; natur
bleach
Middle English blechen, from Old English blæcan, of cloth or fabric, "to make white by removing color, whiten" (by exposure to chemical agents or the sun), from Proto-Germanic *blaikjan "to make white" (source also of Old Saxon blek, Old Norse bleikr, Dutch bleek, Old High German
proxy
early 15c., procusie, proccy, prokecye, "agency of one who acts instead of another, office or authority of a substitute; letter of power of attorney," contraction of Anglo-French procuracie (c. 1300), from Medieval Latin procuratia "administration," from Latin procuratio "a carin

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Dictionary entries near agent
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