An organization that provides a particular service, often for the government or for businesses. It also means the ability of a person or group to act and make choices independently.
From Medieval Latin *agentia* “doing, operation,” from *agens* “doing,” from *agere* “to do, act.” The organizational sense grew from the idea of acting on someone else’s behalf.
When we talk about human ‘agency,’ we’re talking about your power to be the doer, not just the one things happen to. An ‘agency’ as a company is literally a group of people who act for others—professional doers for hire.
Women’s agency—capacity to act and make choices—has historically been restricted by law, custom, and economic dependence, and debates about 'female agency' often framed it as exceptional. In many fields, women’s actions were attributed to others (husbands, fathers, institutions) rather than recognized as their own.
Use 'agency' to describe the capacity to act for people of all genders, and be attentive to structural constraints that differ by gender.
["capacity to act","autonomy","power to choose"]
Recognizing women’s agency in historical and contemporary accounts corrects narratives that portray them only as passive victims or supporting figures.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.