Definitions for agency
ˈeɪ dʒən siagen·cy

Princeton's WordNet(5.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. agency, federal agency, government agency, bureau, office, authority(noun)

   an administrative unit of government

   "the Central Intelligence Agency"; "the Census Bureau"; "Office of Management and Budget"; "Tennessee Valley Authority"

2. agency(noun)

   a business that serves other businesses

3. agency(noun)

   the state of being in action or exerting power

   "the agency of providence"; "she has free agency"

4. representation, delegacy, agency(noun)

   the state of serving as an official and authorized delegate or agent

5. means, agency, way(noun)

   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"

GCIDE(3.40 / 5 votes)Rate this definition:

1. agency(n.)

   An organization or business that provides some service, primarily for other organizations; as, an advertising agency.

2. agency(n.)

   An administrative division of a government; as, a state welfare agency; a motor vehicle agency; the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Origin: [agentia, fr. L. agens, agentis: cf. F. agence. See Agent.]

Wiktionary(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. agency(Noun)

   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. agency(Noun)

   agent

3. agency(Noun)

   The office of an agent, or factor.

4. agency(Noun)

   The relation between a principal and his agent.

5. agency(Noun)

   Business of one entrusted with the concerns of another.

6. agency(Noun)

   The place of business of an agent.

7. agency(Noun)

   A bond issued by a US government-backed entity, such as Fannie Mae.

Origin: From agentia, from agens (present participle of agere), agentis (cognate with French agence, see also agent).

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Agency(noun)

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

2. Agency(noun)

   the office of an agent, or factor; the relation between a principal and his agent; business of one intrusted with the concerns of another

3. Agency(noun)

   the place of business of am agent

Origin: [agentia, fr. L. agens, agentis: cf. F. agence. See Agent.]

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. agency

   In intelligence usage, an organization or individual engaged in collecting and/or processing information. Also called collection agency. See also agent; intelligence process; source.

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. agency

   Payment pro operâ et labore, fixed by the prize act at five per cent. as a fair average, but it gives nothing where the property is restored; in such cases it is usual for the agent to charge a gross sum.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. agency

   A certain proportion of money which is ordered to be subtracted from the pay and allowances of the British army, for transacting the business of the several regiments comprising it.

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. agency

   An organization or business that provides goods or services.

   The recruitment agency provided an excellent local and regional service.

   Submitted by MaryC on December 27, 2019  

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'agency' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1748

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'agency' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2444

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'agency' in Nouns Frequency: #473

How to pronounce agency?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say agency in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of agency in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of agency in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of agency in a Sentence

1. Edwin Rodriguez:

   It was just like free agency.

2. Mark Meadows:

   Are agency leaders doing enough ?

3. Scott Gottlieb:

   I thought that's where the agency would land.

4. Ron Hosko:

   It’s going to be every agency for themselves.

5. Mayer Brown:

   Back then, nobody knew about the No Such Agency.

Images & Illustrations of agency

Popularity rank by frequency of use