agent vs cause

agent and cause both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
agent	Yes	No	No	No
cause	Yes	No	Yes	No

As nouns, cause is a hypernym of agent; that is, cause is a word with a broader meaning than agent:

agent: an active and efficient cause; capable of producing a certain effect
cause: any entity that produces an effect or is responsible for events or results

Other hypernyms of agent include causal agency, causal agent.

As nouns, cause is a hypernym of agent; that is, cause is a word with a broader meaning than agent:

agent: a substance that exerts some force or effect
cause: any entity that produces an effect or is responsible for events or results

Other hypernyms of agent include causal agency, causal agent, substance.

agent (noun)	cause (noun)
the semantic role of the animate entity that instigates or causes the happening denoted by the verb in the clause	any entity that produces an effect or is responsible for events or results
an active and efficient cause; capable of producing a certain effect	a comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy
a businessman who buys or sells for another in exchange for a commission	a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end
a representative who acts on behalf of other persons or organizations	a justification for something existing or happening
any agent or representative of a federal agency or bureau	events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
a substance that exerts some force or effect

agent (verb)	cause (verb)
	cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner
	give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally