A person or thing that acts on behalf of another or causes something to happen. It can mean a representative, like a travel or sports agent, or a force like a cleaning agent.
From Latin *agens* “doing, acting,” from *agere* “to do, drive.” It entered English through French and legal usage.
An ‘agent’ is basically a professional ‘doer’—someone or something that takes action for someone else. That’s why we use the same word for secret agents, travel agents, and even chemical agents: they all get things done behind the scenes.
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