spoiler en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
Etymology tree Latin spolium Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin spoliāre Old French espoillierbor. Middle English spoilen English spoil Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere English -er English spoiler From spoil + -er.
Meanings
- One who spoils; a plunderer; a pillager; a robber; a despoiler.
- One who corrupts, mars, or renders useless.
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A document, review or comment that discloses the ending or some key surprise or twist in a story, or the internal rules controlling the behaviour of a video game, etc.
Good netiquette dictates that one warn of spoilers before discussing them, so that readers who wish to do so may experience the surprises for themselves.
TV shows and movies are a rare form of atemporality, and in an ever-changing, always-on world, spoilers feel irrefutable — sheer access to them gives the illusion of control.
2018 February 14, Jenna Wortham, “Letter of Recommendation: Spoilers”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 09 Dec 2020:Devotees of ‘expanded universe’ books say they will publish spoilers of latest film online unless Disney studio agrees to film their favourite stories
2015 December 16, Ben Child, “Rogue Star Wars fans threaten to ruin The Force Awakens via 'spoiler jihad'”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 17 Sep 2021:
- A device to reduce lift and increase drag.
- A device to reduce lift and increase downforce.
-
(US) A competitor, unable to win themselves, who spoils the chances of another’s victory.
Shortly thereafter, came a torrent of nearly identical political fliers seemingly intended to siphon away support from Democratic candidates by tricking voters into casting their ballots for purported spoiler candidates who demonstrated no real interest in getting elected. […] Candidates for a state senate seat race in South Florida in which a spoiler appeared to help Republican challenger Ileana Garcia unseat incumbent Democrat Jose Javier Rodriguez.
2020 November 23, Scott Glover, Curt Devine, Drew Griffin and Scott Bronstein, “A dark money mystery in Florida centers on the campaign of a spoiler candidate who appeared to help a Republican win by 32 votes”, in CNN, archived from the original on 25 Feb 2025:Several experts do not believe Jorgensen was a Trump “spoiler” in 2020.
2020 November 8, Victoria Bekiempis, “Was Libertarian candidate Jo Jorgensen a 'spoiler' for Trump?”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 01 Mar 2021:The optimism at the opening of the talks could not be dampened even by a few spoilers.
1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela, London: Abacus, published 2010, page 713:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| spoilers | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
spoilerwhore · spoilerific · spoiler ahead · spoileron · spoilerage · spoiler effect · spoilerette · spoilery · unspoiler · spoiler warning · spoiler alert · spoilervirgin · spoiler space · Q spoiler
Descendants
spoiler · Spoiler · spoiler · спо́йлер · spoiler · espòiler · spoiler · სპოილერი · spoiler · spoiler · spoiler · спо́йлер
Translations (78)
fr divulgâchage (document, review or comment that discloses) · ota چاپولجی (one who spoils; a plunderer; a pillager) · fi ryöväri (one who spoils; a plunderer; a pillager) · ja スポイラー (aeronautics: device to reduce lift) · fi ilonpilaaja (document, review or comment that discloses) · es spoiler (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · es espóiler (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · da spoiler (document, review or comment that discloses) · pt spoiler (aeronautics: device to reduce lift) · scn sbilata (document, review or comment that discloses) · es alerón (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · ga creachadóir (one who spoils; a plunderer; a pillager) · pl spoiler (aeronautics: device to reduce lift) · sv spoiler (document, review or comment that discloses) · ja スポイラー (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · cs spoiler (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · scn spogghia-morti (one who spoils; a plunderer; a pillager) · bg спо́йлер (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · fi juonipaljastus (document, review or comment that discloses) · de Störklappe (aeronautics: device to reduce lift) · uk спо́йлер (document, review or comment that discloses) · es espóiler (document, review or comment that discloses) · ko 스포 (document, review or comment that discloses) · th สปอยเลอร์ (aeronautics: device to reduce lift) · ru спо́йлер (aeronautics: device to reduce lift) · ca espòiler (document, review or comment that discloses) · th สปอยเลอร์ (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · pt spoiler (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · es destripe (document, review or comment that discloses) · cs spoiler (document, review or comment that discloses) · ko 스포일러 (document, review or comment that discloses) · de Spoiler (document, review or comment that discloses) · bg грабител (one who spoils; a plunderer; a pillager) · fi spoileri (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · fi ryöstäjä (one who spoils; a plunderer; a pillager) · fi spoileri (document, review or comment that discloses) · fi spoileri (aeronautics: device to reduce lift) · fr spoiler (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · sv spoiler (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · bg спо́йлер (aeronautics: device to reduce lift) · es spoiler (document, review or comment that discloses) · pt aerofólio (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · hu spoiler (document, review or comment that discloses) · hu rontóc (document, review or comment that discloses) · ja ネタバレ (document, review or comment that discloses) · pl spoiler (document, review or comment that discloses) · pl spoiler (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · fr aileron (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · pt speedbrake (aeronautics: device to reduce lift) · th สปอยเลอร์ (document, review or comment that discloses) · ms beberan (document, review or comment that discloses) · cmn 導流板 /导流板 (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · ru спо́йлер (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · de Spoiler (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · ru антикрыло́ (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · ru спо́йлер (document, review or comment that discloses) · es destripamiento (document, review or comment that discloses) · cmn 劇透 /剧透 (document, review or comment that discloses) · nl spoiler (document, review or comment that discloses) · id beberan (document, review or comment that discloses) · el αεροτομή (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · cmn 劇情透露 /剧情透露 (document, review or comment that discloses) · he קלקלן (document, review or comment that discloses) · fr spoiler (aeronautics: device to reduce lift) · kk спойлер (aeronautics: device to reduce lift) · fi pilaaja (one who corrupts, mars, or renders useless) · pt spoiler (document, review or comment that discloses) · ko 스포일러 (aeronautics: device to reduce lift) · nb spoiler (document, review or comment that discloses) · ko 스포일러 (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · ca filtració (document, review or comment that discloses) · ota پلاچقهجی (one who spoils; a plunderer; a pillager) · scn scummigghiata (document, review or comment that discloses) · fr divulgâchis (document, review or comment that discloses) · fr destructeur de portance (aeronautics: device to reduce lift) · it spoiler (document, review or comment that discloses) · it alettone (automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce) · fr spoiler (document, review or comment that discloses)