spymaster

American

[spahy-mas-ter, -mah-ster] / ˈspaɪˌmæs tər, -ˌmɑ stər /

noun

an espionage agent who directs a network of subordinate agents.

Etymology

Origin of spymaster

First recorded in 1940–45; spy + master

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He handed over the reins of the military to loyalist and former spymaster Ye Win Oo on Monday.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

As he worked his way in closer, Mercader reported to Leonid Eitignon, a Soviet spymaster who “always appeared to be in control. A glass of cognac would last him an entire evening.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

He was a high-born bon vivant, just like James Bond, and he was the secret intelligence spymaster in France prior to the war.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2024

He may be one of the lesser established stars in a cast that includes Lili Taylor and Patton Oswalt as spymaster Lafayette Baker, the detective to Stanton’s administrator, but his pull balances Menzies'.

From Salon • Mar. 15, 2024

Within two weeks of becoming commander-in-chief, Washington began his career as a spymaster.

From "George Washington, Spymaster" by Thomas B. Allen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023