agency
UK[ˈeɪdʒənsi]US[ˈeɪdʒənsi]
n
A business or organization that provides a particular service, especially on behalf of other businesses or people.
n
The capacity or condition of acting or exerting power; the state of being in action or operation.
Morpheme Breakdown
ag
ency
ag
to do, to drive
ency
state or quality of
Etymology
The word 'agency' originates from the Medieval Latin term 'agentia', which itself is derived from the Latin verb 'agere', meaning 'to do, to drive, to act'. The suffix '-ency', from Latin '-entia', transforms the action into a noun describing the state or condition of acting. Thus, the literal meaning is 'the state of doing or acting'. Over time, this evolved to signify both the abstract capacity for action and the concrete organization or means through which action is carried out, reflecting the concept of an intermediary that acts on behalf of another.
Analysis
Structure: ag (to do, to drive) + ency (state or quality of)
'ag' is from Latin 'agere' (to do, to drive, to act). 'ency' is a noun-forming suffix from Latin '-entia', denoting a state or quality.
Examples
She works for a government agency that protects the environment.
The advertising agency created a successful new campaign for the product.
Through his own agency, he was able to change the course of his life.