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, spy·ing.

1. to observe secretively or furtively with hostile intent (often followed by on or upon ).
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, spy·ing.

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 by out ).
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. intrusually foll byon to keep a secret or furtive watch (on)
2. intr to engage in espionage
3. tr to catch sight of; descry

Other Words From

• spyship noun
• outspy verb (used with object) outspied outspying
• super·spy noun plural superspies
• un·spied adjective
• un·spying 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

She’s completely won Emily over by volunteering to act as her socialite spy.

From Vox

Many have turned to VPNs, or virtual private networks, thinking that they can protect you from snoopers and spies.

From TechCrunch

However, recruiting and retaining the talent capable of building these tools is a challenge on many levels, especially since a spy agency can’t match Silicon Valley salaries, reputations, and patents.

From MIT Technology Review

Tenet, a time-travel spy thriller starring John David Washington and Robert Pattinson, was originally slated as a summerlong “tentpole” release, expected to be among the highest-grossing movies of the year.

From Fortune

Normally, silence and secrecy are inherent in the spy business.

From MIT Technology Review

It is a spy series at its core, but you guys never really pull from the headlines.

From The Daily Beast

The highly anticipated sixth season of the hilarious spy-spoof will premiere on FX at 10 pm EST on January 8, 2015.

From The Daily Beast

And after the film premiered in Telluride, you were accused by Iran State Media of being a “Zionist” CIA spy.

From The Daily Beast

“Once a spy, always a spy,” his friend responded; this was a common Soviet saying.

From The Daily Beast

That alliance between the spy agency and the military, forged in Iraq, would forever change the way America fights wars.

From The Daily Beast

It was a fact that Amy Drew often saw humor where her chum 98 could not spy anything in the least laughable.

From Project Gutenberg

Valence sent a woman, disguised as a beggar, to spy out the position; but Bruce saw through the dodge, and the spy confessed.

From Project Gutenberg

To spy out the land with a naval telescope over a mile of sea means taking a lot on trust as we learned to our cost on April 25th.

From Project Gutenberg

Many a spy of the Kaiser had tried to pry there and had been arrested and sentenced to a long term of imprisonment.

From Project Gutenberg

Nobody guessed where the King of Asturia was, and the spy had gone off on a false errand altogether.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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