Where does “agent” come from?

agent (Dutch) comes from French agent, from Middle French agent, from Latin agēns, from Latin agō, from Proto-Italic agō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂éǵeti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ- — to drive.

agent (Dutch): a police officer; an undercover agent; an agent,...

Definitions

  1. a police officer; an undercover agent; an agent,...

Ancestry of “agent”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchagentagent
2Middle Frenchagent—
3Latinagēnsdoing, acting, making
4Latinagōto act, to behave
5Proto-Italicagōdrive; push, impel; do, act
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éǵetito be driving
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eǵ-to drive

Words derived from “agent”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ- →
agent — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer