Agentess

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A woman who acts as an agent, representative, or intermediary for another person or organization
2. A female individual employed or authorized to act on behalf of someone else, often in business or legal matters
3. A woman serving as a delegate or operative responsible for conducting affairs or negotiations in place of another

Etymology: "Agentess" is a plain formation: the noun "agent" with the feminine suffix "-ess" attached, producing a word for a woman who acts on someone else's behalf. The suffix comes from Old French "-esse," itself from Late Latin "-issa," and it was once productive for many role nouns such as "actress," "countess," and "hostess." English later used it widely for women in various occupations, though many of these forms have since fallen out of favour. The base word "agent" traces back to Latin "agens," the present participle of "agere," meaning "to drive, do, or act." That origin explains the core idea of the word: someone who sets things in motion or performs an action for another party. "Agentess" thus combines a Latin-derived sense of acting with an English suffix marking the female gender.

Synonyms: female agent, representative, broker, intermediary, advocate

Antonyms: principal, client, employer, boss, owner