Words / B1

AYJ-uh-nt/ˈeɪdʒənt/

An agent organises business for someone else or represents a company: a travel agent; an estate agent; a literary agent. A representative is close in company English; a broker is more for finance or insurance. Estate agent is the UK term for someone who sells houses (US: realtor). Agency is the office; agent is the person. Do not confuse it with agency in the abstract sense of “power to act”.

Meaning

A person who organises business for someone else, or who represents a company.

Examples

• “Our travel agent booked the flights.”
• “The estate agent arranged two viewings for Saturday.”
• “A literary agent helped her send the novel to publishers.”

Good to know

travel / estate / literary agent. UK houses: estate agent. Organisation: agency. Company English: representative.

Near in meaning

representative

New