Messenger Meaning
/ˈmɛs.ən.d͡ʒɚ/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounOne who brings messages.
nounThe secretary bird.
Sentence Examples
Instead of going myself, I sent a messenger.
The messenger left for London in secret.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The neutral herald served as a reliable ____ between the two armies in the conflict.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
In ancient times, a ____ would have to travel for days on horseback to deliver important news to the king.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English messengere, messingere, messangere, from Old French messanger, a variant of Old French messagier (French messager), equivalent to message + -er. Doublet of messager. Displaced native Old English boda (“messenger, envoy”) and ǣrendraca (“messenger, ambassador”). For the replacement of -ager with -enger, -inger, -anger, compare passenger, harbinger, scavenger, porringer. This development may have been merely the addition of n, or it may have resulted due to contamination from other suffixes such as Middle English -ing and the rare Old French -ange, -enc, -inge, -inghe (“-ing”) for Old French -age (“-age”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The Messenger under the joint Commission of Bankruptcy might have seized the Whole, if they had remained in their Warehouse"
— (Can we date this quote?), James Burrow, Reports of Cases Adjudged in the Court of King's Bench:
"The 4 primary messengers include ^([sic]) AOL Instant Messenger, ICQ, Yahoo! Messenger, and MSN Messenger."
— 2006, United States. Congress. House. Committee on Energy and Commerce. Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Sexual exploitation of children over the Internet, page 395:
"Have them meet you on your favorite messenger program. IMs provide a means of instant chat without waiting on someone to respond back to you."
— 2010, Tim Collins, A Woman's Guide to Internet Dating, A Male Perspective, page 49:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The neutral herald served as a reliable ____ between the two armies in the conflict.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
In ancient times, a ____ would have to travel for days on horseback to deliver important news to the king.