Where does “Agent” come from?

Agent (German) 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 (German): agent; agent, spy

Definitions

  1. agent; agent, spy

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