Envoys

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Representatives or ambassadors sent to convey messages or negotiate on behalf of a government or organization
2. Individuals dispatched to establish diplomatic relations or promote agreements between parties
3. Agents or intermediaries tasked with delivering communication or facilitating discussions often in political or business contexts

Etymology: "Envoys" is the plural of "envoy," and the singular carries the older, more interesting story. It comes from French "envoyé," the past participle of "envoyer," meaning "to send," so the word literally names someone who has been sent. The same root sits behind the English "send" family, and the French verb itself descends from Latin "inviare," a verb linked to "via," meaning road or way, hinting at the journey built into the idea. The sense of a diplomatic agent is a later narrowing. Early uses were broader, covering any messenger or emissary dispatched on business, and the sense of a state representative below full ambassador developed from that general idea of a person sent on another's behalf. The plural simply follows the usual English pattern: one envoy, several envoys.

Synonyms: delegates, messengers, representatives

Antonyms: traitors, defectors