envoy English · revision 1905

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈɛn.vɔɪ/; /ˈɑn.vɔɪ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|envoyé|t=one sent]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) past participle of ''envoyer'' “to send”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from Old French ''envoier'',^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) [[der|la-vul|*inviare|t=to send on one's way]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) from Latin ''in'' “on” and ''via'' “road”.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) The English form replaced earlier ''envoyée'' (1660) and ''envoyé'' (1664).^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A public minister sent by one government to another on diplomatic business (1660).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The wider sense of an agent, messenger or representative is recorded from 1643 in the OED.^(OED 1989) Merriam-Webster and Random House date the word to 1635–45.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) In diplomacy the word came to name a particular rank, the envoy extraordinary or minister plenipotentiary, next below an ambassador.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1635 – Merriam-Webster's date.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1643 – an agent or messenger.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1660 – a diplomatic minister.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A representative of a government sent on a special [[diplomacy|alt=diplomatic]] mission.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[minister]] [[plenipotentiary]], a diplomat ranking next below an [[ambassador]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A messenger or agent.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[envoi]]

+ * [[via]]

+ * [[voyage]]

+ * [[convoy]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A separate ''envoy'' or ''envoi'', from Old French ''envoie'' “a sending”, is the short closing stanza of a ballade or similar poem.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}