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agent general - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From agent + general, after French agent général, Italian agente generale.

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˌeɪdʒənt ˈdʒɛn(ə)ɹəl/

agent general (plural agents general)

  1. (now rare) Someone acting as the representative of an organisation, country etc. [from 17th c.]
    1. The representative of a British colony or, later, of a Canadian province or Australian state in key cities abroad. [from 19th c.]
    2. (historical, religion) An ecclesiastic elected to manage accounting and other matters for the Church of France.
      • 1932, Duff Cooper, Talleyrand, Folio Society, published 2010, page 15:

        Appointed in 1780 to the position of agent-general of the clergy, he determined at once to make the most of the appointment.

representative of organisation, country etc.