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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.
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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
Rick Jervis, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Expect emissaries from the ever-changing world of media.
—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
See All Example Sentences for emissary
Cite this Entry
“Emissary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emissary. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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emissary
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emissary
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