Also called envoy extraordinary, minister plenipotentiary.a diplomatic agent of the second rank, next in status after an ambassador.
Origin: 1635–45; < F envoyé envoy, n. use of ptp. of envoyer to send < VL *inviāre, presumably orig. to be on a journey, v. deriv. of L in viā on one's way, en route
[en-voi, ahn-] 
