émissaire

Émissaire is a French noun meaning envoy, messenger, or representative sent on a mission to convey messages or negotiate on behalf of a sovereign, government, or organization. In English, the cognate emissary is used with the same sense, often without the acute accent; the term is borrowed from French via Latin.

Etymology: The word derives from Old French emissaire, from Medieval Latin emissarius, from Latin emittere “to send forth.” The sense centers on a person sent to perform a mission or deliver messages.

In diplomacy and politics: An émissaire is a person designated to carry messages, negotiate terms, or mediate between parties, historically to secure treaties, truces, or arrangements. In modern usage, English tends to use emissary or special envoy, with the French form appearing primarily in literary or historical contexts.

In anatomy: The term also appears in medical terminology as emissary veins. These are small, valveless vessels that connect the extracranial venous system (such as scalp veins) with intracranial venous sinuses by passing through skull foramina. They provide collateral drainage but can serve as routes for spread of infection from superficial tissues to the brain.

In culture and language: Beyond its literal meaning, émissaire is often used metaphorically to denote a go-between or intermediary who transmits information or negotiates between groups, regions, or factions.