proxy meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

proxy

adj

UK /ˈpɹɒk.si/ · US /ˈpɹɑk.si/

Etymology Inherited from Middle English procucie, contraction of procuracie, from Anglo-Norman procuracie, from Medieval Latin procuratia, from Latin prōcūrātiō, from Latin prōcūrō (“to manage, administer”) (English procure). Compare proctor.

1

Used as a proxy or acting as a proxy.

a proxy indicator
a proxy measurement

proxy

noun

Etymology Inherited from Middle English procucie, contraction of procuracie, from Anglo-Norman procuracie, from Medieval Latin procuratia, from Latin prōcūrātiō, from Latin prōcūrō (“to manage, administer”) (English procure). Compare proctor.

1

An agent or substitute authorized to act for another person.

Every peer […] may make another lord of parliament his proxy, to vote for him in his absence.1765–1769, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, (please specify |book=I to IV), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC:

2

The authority to act for another, especially when written.

I have no man's proxy: I speak only for myself.1790 November, Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, and on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to that Event. […], London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC:

3

The written appointment of a proctor in suits in the ecclesiastical courts.

4

Sciences A measurement of one physical quantity that is used as an indicator of the value of another.

5

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences, Software An interface for a service, especially for one that is remote, resource-intensive, or otherwise difficult to use directly.

6

Card games, Games A card used to substitute for another card, when the latter is not available.

Synonyms: deputy
Derived terms: multiproxy, Münchausen syndrome by proxy, open proxy server, paleoproxy, proxy battle, proxy bullying, proxy card, proxy fight, proxygene, proxy in blank, proxyless, proxy marriage, proxy murder, proxy pattern, proxy representative, proxy server, proxyship, proxy statement, proxy vote, proxy voting, proxy war, pseudoproxy, synchronization proxy, war by proxy
Hyponyms: anonymous proxy, caching proxy, closed proxy, complexity-hiding proxy, copy-on-write proxy, dynamic proxy, firewall proxy, forward proxy, network proxy, open proxy, protection proxy, remote proxy, reverse proxy, smart-reference proxy, surrogate proxy, synchronisation proxy, virtual proxy

proxy

verb

Etymology Inherited from Middle English procucie, contraction of procuracie, from Anglo-Norman procuracie, from Medieval Latin procuratia, from Latin prōcūrātiō, from Latin prōcūrō (“to manage, administer”) (English procure). Compare proctor.

1

To serve as a proxy for.

In many of the studies we reviewed, it is common practice to use an observed variable to proxy for a relevant variable that could not be observed.1983, Alfred Blumstein, National Research Council (U.S.). Panel on Sentencing Research, Research on Sentencing: The Search for Reform, page 143

2

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Networking, Physical sciences, Sciences To function as a server for a client device, but pass on the requests to another server for service.