agency

1 an administrative unit of government; "the Central Intelligence Agency"; "the Census Bureau"; "Office of Management and Budget"; "Tennessee Valley Authority" [syn: federal agency, government agency, bureau, office, authority]

2 a business that serves other businesses

3 the state of being in action or exerting power; "the agency of providence"; "she has free agency"

4 the state of serving as an official and authorized delegate or agent [syn: representation, delegacy]

5 how a result is obtained or an end is achieved; "a means of control"; "an example is the best agency of instruction"; "the true way to success" [syn: means, way]

English

Etymology

From agentia, from agens, agentis (cognate with French agence, see also agent).

Pronunciation

IPA: WEAE /ˈeː.ʤən.si/

Noun

1. The faculty of acting or of exerting power; the state of being in action; action; instrumentality.

   The superintendence and agency of Providence in the natural world. --Woodward.

2. The office of an agent, or factor; the relation between a principal and his agent; business of one entrusted with the concerns of another.
3. The place of business of an agent.

Synonyms

• action
• operation
• efficiency
• management

Derived terms

• escort agency
• relief agency
• news agency
• travel agency
• press agency
• dating agency
• syndication agency

Translations

• Czech: kancelář , agentura
• French: agence , action , organisme
• German: Agentur (3)
• Hebrew: סוכנות (sokhnut) (3)
• Japanese: 代理店 (dairiten)

External links

Agency may refer to any of the following:

• Agency (country subdivision)
• Agency (law), the status of a person who acts for another person.
• Agency (Mormonism)
• Agency (philosophy), the capacity to make choices
• Employment agency, a business that serves as a representative, acting on behalf of another
• Free agency, availability status of a rostered player on a team or franchise.
• Government agency, a department of a local or national government responsible for the oversight and administration of a specific function
• International agency, an inter-governmental body
• News agency
• Moral agency, capacity for making moral judgments.
• Structure and agency, ability of an actor to organize future situations and resource distribution.

Organizations

• The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is colloquially called "the Agency".
• The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (when context allows this abbreviation without ambiguity; official term for internal use)
• The Agency, the former name of the fictional secret government organization in the video game series, Syphon Filter. Now called the International Presidential Consulting Agency.

Places:

• Agency, Iowa, USA
• Agency, Missouri, USA
• Agency, Montana, USA
• Agency Township, Iowa, USA
• Agency Township, Kansas, USA
• Agency Township, Missouri, USA
• Agency Township, South Dakota, USA

See also:

• Agent

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