messenger

noun

mes·​sen·​ger ˈme-sᵊn-jər 

1

: one who bears a message or does an errand: such as

a

archaic : forerunner, herald

b

: a dispatch bearer in government or military service

c

: an employee who carries messages

2

: a light line used in hauling a heavier line (as between ships)

3

: a substance (such as a hormone) that mediates a biological effect

4

: messenger rna

Synonyms

• courier
• express [British]
• go-between
• page
• runner

Examples of messenger in a Sentence

They sent a messenger to pick up the package.

the messenger comes by twice a day to pick up packages

Recent Examples on the Web

Hormones are chemical messengers that work inside your body to regulate and control various things whereas pheromones are supposed to work outside your body on other folks. —Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025

In addition to dopamine’s role, the researchers also identified acetylcholine as another important chemical messenger in the process. —Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2025

As ads for secure messenger Signal go, this one is hard to beat. —Zak Doffman, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025

Some Democrats think that the party’s messaging strategy hinges as much on the messengers as the medium it’s communicated on. —Matt Brown, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English messangere, from Anglo-French messager, messanger, from message

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing messenger

• blame/shoot the messenger
• messenger bag
• messenger RNA
• messenger RNA vaccines

Kids Definition

messenger

noun

mes·​sen·​ger ˈmes-ᵊn-jər 

: one that carries a message or does an errand

Medical Definition

messenger

noun

mes·​sen·​ger ˈmes-ᵊn-jər 

1

: a substance (as a hormone) that mediates a biological effect see first messenger, second messenger

2

: messenger rna