spotter

American  

[spot-er] / ˈspɒt ər /

noun

1. a person employed to remove spots from clothing, especially at a dry-cleaning establishment.

2. (in civil defense) a civilian who watches for enemy airplanes.

3. Informal. a person employed to watch the activity and behavior of others, especially employees, as for evidence of dishonesty.

4. Military. an observer at a forward position who singles out targets for gunners.

5. a person or thing that spots.

6. (in small-arms practice firing) a small black disk attached to the target to make more prominent the places where a bullet has hit.

7. an assistant to a sportscaster who provides the names of the players chiefly involved in each play of a game, especially a football game.

8. Gymnastics, Tumbling. a person who is stationed in the most effective place to guard against an injury to a performer in the act of executing a maneuver.

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spotter British  

/ ˈspɒtə /

noun

1. 1. a person or thing that watches or observes

   2. ( as modifier )

      a spotter plane

2. a person who makes a hobby of watching for and noting numbers or types of trains, buses, etc

   a train spotter

3. military a person who orders or advises adjustment of fire on a target by observations

4. a person, esp one engaged in civil defence, who watches for enemy aircraft

5. informal an employee assigned to spy on his colleagues in order to check on their honesty

6. films

   1. a person who checks against irregularities and inconsistencies

   2. a person who searches for new material, performers, etc

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Etymology

Origin of spotter

First recorded in 1605–15; spot + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Berkeley police said they identified Hue thanks to interviews with witnesses and a review of surveillance video, along with Shot Spotter and automated license plate recognition technologies.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 9, 2024

Following its tornado in 2007, Greensburg took advantage of the National Weather Service's Storm Spotter training sessions, which trained volunteers how to spot severe weather events.

From Salon • Dec. 27, 2021

Spotter planes already are banned in other parts of the state.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 21, 2018

Whale Spotter, the app developed by Conserve.IO, will be used to map the feeding grounds of the enormous creatures, which large ships too frequently strike as they migrate along the California coast.

From Reuters • Oct. 1, 2013

“Hold on. Some of the things he said make sense. Spotter planes are used to find fish. Lucy, hand me the proposal.”

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen

Related Words

• agent
• detective
• informer
• investigator
• mole
• operative
• secret agent
• secret service
• undercover agent