emissary

American  

[em-uh-ser-ee] / ˈɛm əˌsɛr i /

noun

• emissaries
  plural

1. a representative sent on a mission or errand.

   emissaries to negotiate a peace.

   Synonyms:

   legate, envoy, ambassador, delegate

2. an agent sent on a mission of a secret nature, as a spy.

3. Anatomy. sending or coming out, as certain veins that pass through the skull and connect the venous sinuses inside with the veins outside.

4. pertaining to an emissary.

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adjective

1. Archaic. sent forth, as on a mission.

emissary British  

/ ˈɛmɪsərɪ, -ɪsrɪ /

noun

1. 1. an agent or messenger sent on a mission, esp one who represents a government or head of state

   2. ( as modifier )

      an emissary delegation

2. an agent sent on a secret mission, as a spy

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adjective

1. (of veins) draining blood from sinuses in the dura mater to veins outside the skull

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• emissaries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of emissary

1595–1605; < Latin ēmissārius one sent out, equivalent to ēmiss- ( see emission) + -ārius -ary

Explanation

When presidents can’t attend state funerals, they send an emissary to pay their respects. An emissary performs a specific job on someone else’s behalf. Emissary is a word you hear often around governments, but anyone can be one or have one. Say, if you’re feeling too lazy to get off the couch you could appoint your little sister to be your emissary in fetching ice cream from the kitchen.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

emissary emissaries

Instead, US envoy Steve Witkoff headed to Switzerland to get the talks back on track, American media outlets reported, with fellow Trump emissary Jared Kushner also expected there.

From Barron's ● Jun. 20, 2026

Bini — already stadium-sized superstars in Asia — is the latest emissary in Coachella’s reach for new sounds from around the globe.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2026

Steve Witkoff, Trump’s former fellow real-estate tycoon, now his chief emissary to crises around the world, suggested as much in an interview on Fox News over the weekend.

From Slate ● Feb. 24, 2026

"The emissary, Félix Plasencia, would be the first representative of the country's ruling political movement, known as chavismo, to visit the American capital in an official capacity in years," the newspaper wrote.

From BBC ● Jan. 15, 2026

Tree-ear heard the swish of fine heavy fabric as the emissary rose to his feet and went to the door.

From "A Single Shard" by Linda Sue Park

Before the war started, he sent his usual duo of diplomatic emissaries, son-in-law Jared Kushner and fellow real-estate tycoon Steve Witkoff, both of whom knew nothing about Iran or nuclear-weapons technology.

From Slate ● Jun. 15, 2026

The White House said emissaries Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would engage in an "in-person conversation" with Iranian representatives, but Iranian state media said that direct negotiations were not in the cards.

From Barron's ● Apr. 25, 2026

Vance and Rubio gave no quarter, and the two emissaries were forced to return home with nothing more than a promise for a “working group,” which means nothing.

From Salon ● Jan. 18, 2026

One of our machine emissaries, Voyager 1, has already left the solar system and is still sending messages back home about its journey.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 9, 2026

She looked up at the ravens and imagined they were his emissaries.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• envoy
• go-between
• intermediary
• messenger