emissary

emissary

noun

Definition of EMISSARY

1

a person sent on a mission to represent another <most of the industrialized nations of the world sent emissaries to the conference on global warming>

Synonyms agent, delegate, emissary, envoy, legate, minister, representative

Related Words ambassadress; attaché, chargé d'affaires, consul, deputy, diplomat, foreign minister, nuncio, procurator, proxy; apostle, evangelist, missionary; deputation, detachment, legation; courier, messenger; mouthpiece, spokesperson

2

a person who tries secretly to obtain information for one country in the territory of another usually unfriendly country <the embassy's staff likely contains at least one emissary who reports to the home country's chief of intelligence>

Synonyms agent, asset, emissary, intelligencer, mole, operative, spook, undercover

Related Words courier; counterspy, double agent, sleeper; infiltrator, informer, stool pigeon; spymaster, superspy