spy

[spahy]

noun

plural

spies 

1. a person employed by a government to obtain secret information or intelligence about another, usually hostile, country, especially with reference to military or naval affairs.

2. a person who keeps close and secret watch on the actions and words of another or others.

3. a person who seeks to obtain confidential information about the activities, plans, methods, etc., of an organization or person, especially one who is employed for this purpose by a competitor.

   an industrial spy.

4. the act of spying.

verb (used without object)

spied, spying 

1. to observe secretively or furtively with hostile intent (often followed by on orupon ).

2. to act as a spy; engage in espionage.

3. to be on the lookout; keep watch.

4. to search for or examine something closely or carefully.

verb (used with object)

spied, spying 

1. to catch sight of suddenly; espy; descry.

   to spy a rare bird overhead.

2. to discover or find out by observation or scrutiny (often followed byout ).

3. to observe (a person, place, enemy, etc.) secretively or furtively with hostile intent.

4. to inspect or examine or to search or look for closely or carefully.

spy

/ spaɪ /

noun

1. a person employed by a state or institution to obtain secret information from rival countries, organizations, companies, etc

2. a person who keeps secret watch on others

3. obsolete,  a close view

verb

1. to keep a secret or furtive watch (on)

2. (intr) to engage in espionage

3. (tr) to catch sight of; descry

Other Word Forms

• spyship noun
• outspy verb (used with object)
• superspy noun
• unspied adjective
• unspying adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of spy¹

First recorded in 1200–50; (for the verb) Middle English spien, shortened from espien, espyen “to espy” ( espy ); (for the noun) Middle English, shortened from espy “a spy,” from Old French espie

Word History and Origins

Origin of spy¹

C13 spien, from Old French espier, of Germanic origin; related to Old High German spehōn, Middle Dutch spien

Example Sentences

Scientists had thought chimps were docile vegetarians, but on this day about three months after her arrival, Goodall spied a group of the apes feasting on something pink.

From Los Angeles Times

Shooters opened fire from pickup truck beds and atop ladders, used drones to spy on targets and maintained caches of automatic weapons in storage units.

From Los Angeles Times

Apple also had been accused of breaking the law by imposing confidentiality rules, firing a union activist, and spying on workers or making them think they were under surveillance.

From Los Angeles Times

An aide who worked for a leading member of Germany's far-right AfD party has been given a jail term of four years and nine months for spying for China.

From BBC

It comes on the same day as Iran said a man accused of spying for Israel had been executed.

From BBC

Related Words

• agent 
• detective 
• informer 
• investigator www.thesaurus.com
• mole 
• operative 
• secret agent 
• secret service 
• undercover agent www.thesaurus.com