emissary
noun
Did you know?
An emissary is often a person who is sent somewhere in order to act as a representative. The key in that sentence is sent; emissary derives from Latin emissus, the past participle of the verb emittere, meaning "to send out." By the early 17th century, it was a commonly seen and heard word. An earlier common emittere descendant is emit. In addition, emittere itself comes from Latin mittere ("to send"), which is an ancestor of many English words, including admit, commit, mission, omit, permit, premise, promise, and submit.
Did you know?
Like missionaries, emissaries are sent on missions. However, emissaries are more likely to be representing governments, political leaders, and nonreligious institutions, and an emissary's mission is usually to negotiate or to gather information. So a president may send a trusted emissary to a war-torn region to discuss peace terms. A company's CEO may send an emissary to check out another company that they may be thinking of buying. And a politician may send out an emissary to persuade a wealthy individual to become a supporter.
Examples of emissary in a Sentence
Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026
Bini — already stadium-sized superstars in Asia — is the latest emissary in Coachella’s reach for new sounds from around the globe.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
The overconfidence of the pro-Trump push in country music pre- and postelection is backfiring on many of its most enthusiastic emissaries.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
The ruling marks a notable victory for emissaries of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, who have often been met with legal challenges when establishing centers.
—Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for emissary
Cite this Entry
“Emissary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emissary. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
emissary
noun
Legal Definition
emissary
noun
