- 1a person whose job is to act for, or manage the affairs of, other people in business, politics, etc. an insurance agent Our agent in London deals with all U.K. sales. If you're going to rent out your house while you're overseas, you'll need someone to act as your agent here. see travel agent
- 2a person whose job is to arrange work for an actor, musician, sports player, etc. or to find someone who will publish a writer's work a theatrical/literary agent see press agent
- 3= secret agent an enemy agent see double agent, special agent
- 4(formal) a person or thing that has an important effect on a situation The charity has been an agent for social change.
- 5(technology) a chemical or a substance that produces an effect or a change or is used for a particular purpose cleaning/oxidizing agents
- 6(grammar) the person or thing that does an action (expressed as the subject of an active verb, or in a “by” phrase with a passive verb) compare patient see free agent
Check pronunciation: agent