infiltrator

[in-fil-trey-ter, in-fil-trey-]

noun

1. a soldier, intelligence agent, or other person who moves surreptitiously and gradually into an organization, territory, community, or the like, especially with hostile intent.

   Using a false name, the infiltrator participated in meetings and prep sessions with the protest group and had complete access to their documentation.

2. a person or thing that causes one substance to pass into another by filtering.

   The roots of wetland plants serve as massive water infiltrators, allowing more rainwater to seep into the soil and recharge underground aquifers.

Word History and Origins

Origin of infiltrator¹

infiltrat(e) ( def. ) + -or ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

The group also accuses government infiltrators of committing atrocities while claiming to be Ambazonian fighters to turn the local populations against the liberation struggle.

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But Clews said far-right infiltrators would be difficult for Reform to detect because the individuals had no public ties to far-right organisations.

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The FBI did this in illegal coordination with the CIA, the NSA, the Defense Intelligence Agency, military intelligence operatives within all the uniformed services and local police forces that provided covert agents as infiltrators.

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"Be careful, the enemy is losing in every direction," he added, telling them that this meant they were more likely to be on alert for infiltrators and spies.

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"Some infiltrators into the revolution, some saboteurs, and some weak-minded people are taking advantage of the situation in the areas that were recently liberated," he says.

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Related Words

• spy