dossier

American  

[dos-ee-ey, -ee-er, daw-see-ey, -see-er, daw-syey] / ˈdɒs iˌeɪ, -i ər, ˈdɔ siˌeɪ, -si ər, dɔˈsyeɪ /

noun

plural

dossiers

1. a collection or file of documents on the same subject, especially a complete file containing detailed information about a person or topic.

   Synonyms:

   folder, report, record

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dossier British  

/ ˈdɒsɪˌeɪ, dosje, -sɪə /

noun

1. a collection of papers containing information on a particular subject or person

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Usage

What does dossier mean? A dossier is a collection of detailed information about a person or other subject. The word dossier is popularly associated with espionage, law enforcement, and politics. When used in these contexts, it often refers to a file that includes all the “dirt” on someone (such as secret negative information that could be used to blackmail them). Example: We’ve been tracking this guy for years—we have a 2,000-page dossier on him.

Etymology

Origin of dossier

1875–80; < French: bundle of documents with a label attached to the back or spine, equivalent to dos (< Latin dorsum ) back + -ier -ier ²

Explanation

If you’re a fan of spy movies, you’ve probably seen countless scenes in which an intrepid secret agent breaks into a secure government facility in order to steal a dossier, or a collection of files. Dossier, which emerged in French in the 19th century, is derived from the French word dos, meaning “back.” While the connection between “files” and “backs” isn’t certain, it may pertain to the fact that the labels of dossiers were originally affixed to the back, or spine, of each file. If you speak French, you can apply your knowledge to the pronunciation of this word; the final syllable is pronounced with a long a sound, rhyming with “day.”

Example Sentences

NGOs contacted by AFP, several of whom declined to be quoted on the record due to the sensitivity of the issue, say they complied with most of Israel's requirements to provide a complete dossier.

From Barron's • Dec. 22, 2025

Shah responded to the dossier by saying it was untrue the BBC buried the findings of its internal standards committee and said that the BBC Arabic team has been restructured.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 10, 2025

Pressure on the broadcaster’s top executives has been growing since the Daily Telegraph newspaper published parts of a dossier complied by Michael Prescott, who had been hired to advise the BBC on standards and guidelines.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 9, 2025

The newspaper said a whistleblower sent a copy of the 19-page dossier to every member of the BBC board last month.

From BBC • Nov. 4, 2025

I was interrogated for almost two hours by a white man who had in front of him a dossier containing every fact of my life.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

Related Words

• summary