Jump To:

• le Carré
  le Carré

  noun

  John David John Moore Cornwell, 1931–2020, English author of spy novels.
• Le Carré
  Le Carré

  noun

  John, real name David John Cornwell. born 1931, English novelist, esp of spy thrillers such as The Spy who came in from the Cold (1963), Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1974), Smiley's People (1980), The Tailor of Panama (1996), and The Mission Song (2006)

le Carré

American  

[luh ka-rey] / lə kæˈreɪ /

noun

1. John David John Moore Cornwell, 1931–2020, English author of spy novels.

---

Le Carré British  

/ lə ˈkæreɪ /

noun

1. John, real name David John Cornwell. born 1931, English novelist, esp of spy thrillers such as The Spy who came in from the Cold (1963), Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1974), Smiley's People (1980), The Tailor of Panama (1996), and The Mission Song (2006)

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

le Carré Le Carré

Weisz spoke of “Gardener” source material author John le Carré in her speech, noting on stage that he “wrote this unflinching, angry story.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2026

Simon Cornwell, executive producer of the popular spy series, said his late father John le Carré "could never quite shake the character of his father off" when writing the book's villain, Roper.

From BBC ● Feb. 2, 2026

The spy-thriller miniseries “The Night Manager,” based on the John le Carré novel, won over critics and audiences when it aired way back in 2016.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 31, 2025

Like John le Carré, he creates his own jargon: safe houses are “coops,” spycraft is “artifice,” freelance agents are “units” and deep-cover moles are “termites.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2025

This week, host June Thomas talks to writer Adam Sisman about his two biographies of the late spy novelist John le Carré.

From Slate ● Feb. 11, 2024

Le Carré released his first book Call for Murder while still working for MI5 in 1961.

From BBC ● Feb. 2, 2026

Le Carré, whose real name was David Cornwell, had a "tough childhood" after his mum left the family when he was five.

From BBC ● Feb. 2, 2026

Also on display is a fascinating selection of photographs taken by Le Carré in London for “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” that are labeled with locations and scenes in the novel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 26, 2026

At Oxford, Le Carré was more intent on becoming an artist than a writer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 26, 2026

After the premiere of Season 1 at the Berlin International Film Festival, Le Carré sat across from Hiddleston, a twinkle in his eye, and said, “Perhaps there should be some more.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 11, 2026