messenger

noun

mes·​sen·​ger ˈme-sᵊn-jər 

1

: one who bears a message or does an errand: such as

a

archaic : forerunner, herald

b

: a dispatch bearer in government or military service

c

: an employee who carries messages

2

: a light line used in hauling a heavier line (as between ships)

3

: a substance (such as a hormone) that mediates a biological effect

4

: messenger rna

Synonyms of messenger

• courier
• runner

Examples of messenger in a Sentence

They sent a messenger to pick up the package.

the messenger comes by twice a day to pick up packages

Recent Examples on the Web

Trump has frequently shown himself a strong economic messenger — winning reelection in 2024 by lambasting Joe Biden's economy. —December 12, NPR, 12 Dec. 2025

In Sagittarius, the messenger planet is bold, passionate and brutally honest. —Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 11 Dec. 2025

It’s made of cells called neurons that act like tiny messengers, sending signals to the rest of your body. —Steven Lautzenheiser, The Conversation, 8 Dec. 2025

Furukawa said the sugars found in the Bennu samples support a hypothesis about the survival mechanisms used by the first forms of earthly life, which may have relied primarily on the messenger molecule rather than the complicated biological processes that ground it today. —Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English messangere, from Anglo-French messager, messanger, from message

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing messenger

• blame/shoot the messenger
• messenger bag
• messenger RNA
• messenger RNA vaccine
• messenger RNA vaccines

Kids Definition

messenger

noun

mes·​sen·​ger ˈmes-ᵊn-jər 

: one that carries a message or does an errand

Medical Definition

messenger

noun

mes·​sen·​ger ˈmes-ᵊn-jər 

1

: a substance (as a hormone) that mediates a biological effect see first messenger, second messenger

2

: messenger rna