Interagency

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Denoting cooperation and collaboration between multiple governmental or organizational agencies to achieve a common goal
2. Referring to joint efforts coordinated across various departments or entities for efficiency and effectiveness in missions
3. Characterizing interactions and partnerships among different agencies aimed at addressing complex issues and enhancing resource sharing

Etymology: "Interagency" is a plain compound, built from the prefix "inter-" ("between" or "among") and "agency." The prefix comes from Latin "inter," meaning "between," and it has been used in English to form many words describing relations among parties, such as "international" and "intercontinental." The base word "agency" traces back to Latin "agens," the present participle of "agere," meaning "to do, drive or act." From this came the idea of someone or something that acts, and by way of Medieval Latin "agentia" and Middle English and French routes, "agency" came to mean action or the means by which something is done, and later an organization set up to act on someone's behalf. Put together, "interagency" describes what happens when several such organizations act between one another. The adjective is used mainly in official and governmental contexts, where coordination among separate bodies is a routine concern.