agency and office share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. agency means “an administrative unit of government”. office means “place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed”. office is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈeɪdʒənsi/
1.n.an administrative unit of government
“the Central Intelligence Agency”
2.n.a business or organization that provides a particular service, especially the mediation of transactions between two parties
3.n.the state of being in action or exerting power
“the agency of providence”
/ˈɔfɪs/
1.n.place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
“he rented an office in the new building”
2.n.an administrative unit of government
“the Central Intelligence Agency”
3.n.the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group
“the function of a teacher”
| agency | office | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪdʒənsi/ | /ˈɔfɪs/ |
| Said | AY-juhn-see | AW-fis |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Letters | 6 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun |
| Senses | 5 | 7 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | federal agency, government agency, bureau | business office |
Full entry for agency · Full entry for office · More comparisons